Take Me Back To The Night We Met
by Lil' Chaos
Summary: The war was won — but at a cost. Now, with their strongest lost to an unknowable fate, the Guardians of Light join together to recover what was lost and fight against a new, powerful force. Sora, left with no other options, must fight against the twisted games by forces he doesn't understand to try to get home while in another time, a Master and his students awaken in a new world.
1. Memory Lane

Black boots made ripples in the puddle the dark portal materialised in front of, squelching and slapping when the cloaked man strolled through with a quick glance around. The silence that fell over the city was tense, as if life had exploded outward only to be suddenly silenced.

It brought a chill down the cloaked man's spine.

He pushed back the memories of a dark storm and the slapping of rain on his face, the ache of young muscles as they pushed to row against the waves only to stop at a dead shore. Memories of what had been and, in a sense, _would _be. Time was fluid, events always replaying and recycling over like a broken record.

Like the puddles that cast the reflections of the streetlights as far as the eye could see, every drop of water sent a ripple out. Things were always changing in little ways; nothing too major, otherwise his eye could be considered useless. But in small ways, like what fish in that school he could've caught, or which grains of sand would be shaken from his hair after a midday snooze.

The man shook his head, spreading his hands down his hips in order to fix his coat. His gloved fingers flexed, wiggling them with a quick stretch of his joints. It was practically a part of him at this point, a mask he wore much like his students.

With a bounce of his step, he allowed the portal to close behind him as he began to walk.

His hands rested on his hips while he gazed around, cocking his head back to look up to the looming skyscrapers that seemed to encase the city streets. He had made sure to stop at a secluded spot, not too near to the main square but not too close either. Didn't need to cause a scene, now did he?

_Not yet_, he quirked his lip.

He was an expert at delaying the inevitable, it seemed. No matter what people complained, he always managed to hold off until he had no other choice. No other option but to _give in_.

He was in no hurry in those moments. He had waited long enough for this time to catch him, why not linger in its grasp for a bit?

Seeing the future was messy like that. After his eye—really, an _eye _to see the future? The whole concept still brought a chuckle to his lips, they never did notice how it was _always _there—let him see what had to come so he had no choice. The timeline was like… a puzzle, with a group of weird, messy shaped pieces that had to be laid out accordingly. One little slip? The whole table flips.

(But that was often the case when Aced was on the losing side and they couldn't _help _but tease him. The ursine man just made it so… easy to get under his skin.)

He didn't know what would've happened if he hadn't followed the script of destiny - but he knew that he could—somehow— make a better alternative. While the stories and legends he had been told about had already come to pass, there was some wiggle room.

As long as he didn't do anything major, everything would work out okay… right?

The rain continued to fall, the looming clouds cast shadows across the already darker depths of the city. The lights illuminated the skies, such a sight still made him smile. This world, as far as he could remember, hadn't been touched by the heartless. But the darker, musty streets still made his nose wrinkle as he continued on his way.

A city of both light and darkness, where life was little more than a prize and a person's heart the collateral. How many failed? How many suffered these mucid alleys only to fall short? It almost reminded him of Daybreak Town and how the darkness began to sink into its roots long before his students realised—before they were able to stop it.

He licked his lips, the chill of the air made the skin tighten with each breath.

_Nothing could be done_. He stepped around the puddles, the heels of his boots clicked as they collided with the sidewalk, the water clapped against the leather.

Those events were set in stone… he _couldn't_ have changed anything, or risk an even grander loss of life.

He had saved as many as he could.

It wasn't enough.

The rainshower weakened as he journeyed through the streets, the patter of drops bounced off his hood and done his collarbone. His hands yanked the zipper higher up his face, pulling the sides away from his face to shade his cheeks.

He couldn't leave _anything _to chance.

His coat was rigid against his body, the tautness of his shoulders forced them to roll them every few minutes. How the organisation had wore them—of their own free will—he would never understand. Perhaps he was still used to the comfort of magically crafted clothes and the solace they provided. He had tried his best to imitate their magic in his own student's robes, while mystically and… well, _cool-looking_ at the same time, but he was sure that he had fallen short.

At least he—_Sora_—will be able to stay warm with this weather. The fairies clothes would make sure of that, given they weren't damaged.

"Man," The cloaked master muttered to himself. "-that'll take some time to get used to."

His brow furrowed. No, he couldn't afford to make any slip-ups. A single mistake could ruin _everything_. He had a role, just as Luxu and the others had to play. He couldn't afford to screw this up before they even got a chance.

The next while had to go _just _as he remembered.

Slender fingers twirled one of his drawstrings, swinging it back and forth in a playful manner. His arm followed suit, allowing his body to sway in time with each step.

It wasn't long before the sights around him became more familiar, the high stretches of streets and skyscrapers branched out, widening out to open into the plaza. The crossroads that gathered together in the centre made his hands tighten into fists.

He cocked his head back, glancing upwards to the fluorescent screens that plastered every surface.

The master smiled as he caught sight of the largest tower, distanced away from the plaza. The red '104' backed by darkening clouds… it would start to rain soon.

"Now where...ah, _there _you are." He glanced around with a mutter, before his eye fell upon the huddled comatose shape laying across the plaza, the lights cast a shadow over its limb form. He paused, looking around. There was no life in sight beside him and… the boy.

Cars laid abandoned, the streets desolate aside from the occasional flicker of a sign. Advertisements played on repeat, cycling back and forth with striking colours that made him winch. A city that cast such light… and yet was dead to the world.

The Master blew a breath through pursed lips, rolling his shoulders back before forcing his back to straighten. No slouching, no comments or gestures… not yet anyway. His fingers wiggled, itching to run over to boy. To shake him awake, to carry him away—to tell him that everything will fine.

But he didn't.

He couldn't.

His heart ached at the sight of the unconscious teenager. He was blissfully unaware of the world—of the man watching his every movement—tensing as he stirred in his sleep. Rain droplets clung to his hair, cast in a golden glow by the lights around him.

Man, he had a sore… _everything _after that sleep. Note to self, concrete? Not the comfiest place to sleep.

And he had spent his time in a _box_.

The older man rolled his shoulder as if in memory of the ache through his side, the dull pain that lingered in his muscles a vivid evocation. An echo of the boy before him.

The boy—Sora, he had to call him by his name—stirred again, the shudder of his damp shoulders made the older man take a step back. He had to move. Stepping back, he rose his hand behind him to summon another portal, the slip of the air faded when he stepped through.

He blinked, his eyes meeting the dull grey of concrete. His feet rested down on the stained ground, the puddles had followed him.

He could hear nothing but the wind and her whistle, blowing past him as he stepped forward toward the edge of the roof. The Master quirked a brow at the sheer drop—best be careful, or he could risk traumatising the boy below even further. The toe of his boots cuffed the edge, making sure to keep his balanced primed to prevent failing forward.

That would be awkward, huh?

_Sora_ stood up from his resting place below, his smaller form twisted and turned as he gazed around at his surroundings. It was a spectacle… but _too _quiet. Even the second time around, he still got shivers from it.

The lights were too sharp, too purging of any shadows and life. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

A world that was full of light and energy, sights to see and everything to take in...but not life. The empty streets, the forsaken screens left to reflect off the endless puddles that painted those streets. Everything was a reflection of what could've—no, _should've_ been.

Sora only looked around in wonder, in confusion as he gazed down at his hand.

He didn't have a timer.

Even now, as he watched the teenager cautiously step away and down on of the many roads ahead of him, he still looked down at his own gloved palm. How ironic, he had spent half his life fighting people dressed like this, and the other half _setting that trend_.

"Taking a trip down memory lane?"

The Master couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sudden suction of air behind him that calmed after a moment, the click of heels made him turn to gaze behind him. "Nothing wrong with taking a _teeny-weeny_ look."

Xigbar—_scratch that_, Luxu (geez he would have _never _connected the sharpshooter with the little kid who used to cling to him during thunderstorms… _small world_) only raised a brow with a snort before strolling to his side. He made a face as he glanced down along the side of the building, tucking his hands into his coat pockets.

"Y'know where he's going?"

The Master shrugged. "Sorta… hard to tell if things'll change or not now."

"Maybe you shouldn't have taken your eye-thing back, then." Luxu added, cocking his head to the side with a playful smirk as he flexed his fingers before summoning the weapon. His expression was contagious, willing the other to copy it from beneath the shadow of his hood. "Could've done some scouting, got some experience."

"Oh, I know _full well_."

The two men chuckled, with the slightly taller master shifting his weight between his feet. Rubbing a finger over his upper lip, he let his shoulders relax. There was no need to act mature around Luxu—the other man had _technically _known him since he was a kid, he had seen all the ugly bits and bobs that made him who he was. Although, he'd probably never admit it.

"So," Luxu sighed after a few moments of silence, lowering the blade. "What's next?"

"Eager to get into it, huh?" The Master grinned, his expression growing wilder as the other scoffed, resting his weight on his hip. "And here I thought you'd like some peace, some time to just… well, relax."

Luxu watched him grimly. "I had centuries to rest waiting for that old fart to get going."

"Good point." The other nodded, raising his hands to his hips as he stepped away from the ledge, pacing slowly away from the man. "What's… next." He tasted the words over, taking note of the tension in his companions stance.

Luxu, with a flick of his wrist, allowed the keyblade to vanish once more before crossing his arms over his chest. He chewed down on his lip, watching the exalted Master sway his arms at his sides. He was either stalling, or simply wanted to make some grand reveal.

_Some habits never die._

"Any time now, boss."

The other rose his hands up with false defense, the wicked grin that shined beneath the shade of his hood made Luxu reward him with an empty stare. "...Geez, _you take a short nap and everyone's super jumpy_."

Luxu blinked.

"Alright… _alright_." The Master insisted, patting the air before him before allowing his hands to rest against his tailbone. "Look, I need you to keep an eye- ugh, sorry 'bout that." Luxu rolled his eyes at his long-absent master, pursing his lips to hold back any comments that could come out. "-I need you to keep an eye on _him_."

The one-eyed man furrowed his brow. "On… Sora?"

"Bingo!" The other man pointed a finger upward with an exaggerated nod. "Lemme' just say… you gotta make sure he stays in line; no wandering too far or super late at night, no picking fights with people who'd punch him hard enough that _I'd_ bruise…"

Luxu scoffed. "You want me to babysit… the kid who _beat _Xehanort?"

"Well, we both know you have _plenty _of practise already." Luxu sighed, brushing back his hairline and letting his gloves loosen a few hairs. "And it's not for long… just till the others play their parts."

The sharpshooter clicked his tongue, making a face at the mention of his fellow students'… last attempts at obeying their master. _Saw how good a job they did…_

"And besides, there shouldn't be any majorly dangerous here. A nice, squeaky-heartless-clean joint." The man waved his arms outwards to advertise the looming buildings and lights. He let his voice twist to a somewhat purr, "Perfect for your vacationing kid to just relax and _try _not to get himself shanked or something-"

"And what about Ava?"

"_I_—have'tah wait and see 'bout that." He noted the sudden drop of hysterics in the other man's voice, the gentle slouch of his shoulders as if the weight of her name nearly sent him tumbling.

But before he blinked, the other retained his bounce.

The master chuckled. "But who knows… maybe she'll find her own way back, maybe one of the others'll finish their jobs quicker than I realised and have time to go and look." The tension in his smile still caught Luxu's eye, he knew the weight of time on a person… the animated man just knew how to hide it.

He couldn't blame him.

"I'll do it." He said bluntly. "Then, if I can… I take a look around for the little fox."

The last time he had seen her—blue eyes that were so light yet shedding tears, weeping over how she knew things would turn, over things she didn't quite understand—had been with distance, on that fateful land where everything they had known was no more.

He knew why the others had felt betrayed, he had cycled between those emotions through the centuries and countless fragile vessels. Losing his eye had been a kick in the teeth—a jab from fate over his absent master and everything he had waited so long for, taking away what his master had left to guide him. He had wanted to take his blade back from that old coon and destroyed all those foolish notions of control, to tear out that measy shred of his heart that was _still _inside him.

But he couldn't. He was too close to ruin everything then, even if Terra and the others had to be the collateral for his silence.

Those years in the organisation crept by, welcoming the faces of those he recognised and those he had heard of but never seen himself. The lost dandelions wandering around without a master, without memories to guide their hearts.

Years and years, more than he could be bothered to count passed by until-

"You alright there, Lu-lu?"

"Don't call me that, please." He sighed, tilting his head aside to cast a half-filled look at the man.

The other merely chuckled at him, resting his hands behind his head as he stole another look at where his younger self had gone. The cautious shape of the boy continued aimlessly down the street. "Looks like your quarry's leaving."

"Meh." The sharpshooter shrugged off his Master's tilt of head, pursing his lips as he set into his spot. "Road only goes one way, kid can't get too far."

"Flowmotion?"

Luxu paused before slowly turning on his heels, rolling his eyes. "_Sonova-_"

"Better get going~!" His Master sang, tucking his hands behind his back with a playful swing of his hips. He pointed a finger back at the other, "And remember-"

Luxu stopped him with a hand, swatting him away. "I know, I know… keep to my senses, don't play around."

"I was gonna say _be careful_… but that works too!" The Master chuckled at the other's expression, loosening a sigh from his once-teenage student who just shrugged his hood back over his head.

Both were silent as Luxu fixed his coat, playing with the rim of his hood and shifting his weight between his feet but failing to move from his spot. The Master pointed both his forefingers in the direction Luxu had yet to face, "Uh… Sora's _that _way?"

"Should I give updates or-?"

The Master tilted his head slightly, a soft gasp escaped him before he nodded aimlessly. "Oh, oh… I guess, if you want? It's not like I'll be vanishing again or anything."

"Great, _ciao_."

His hooded eyes rose up to catch the scoff in the other man's throat, the tension in his shoulders like the string of a bow. A clenched fist laid against his side, lingering for as long as it took the other man to summon another dark portal, flicking his hand back in salute before disappearing into the dark corridor. The wisps of darkness skimmed around his feet, faded away to leave him alone once more.

"Uh...okay." He swallowed, shaking away the thoughts that faded away much like the ends of the darkness, no longer tethered to a heart to command them to remain. "Bye."

The cloaked master lingered for a moment, stretching his arms out in front of him with a satisfying crack, rolling his neck as he shifted back towards the edge. The moisture in the air made his nose wrinkle, the musty scent surely to cling to his coat for a few days.

He sighed. "Okay… okay." He rose his hands up before him in defensive, despite his isolation aside from the two people seeking to gain as much distance from him as possible.

The Master chuckled, his lips faltered.

With a forced breath, he plunged his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper that had been folded over and over again until it was the size of his palm. Slender fingers unravelling the page with a sure delicacy to avoid any damage.

With a nod, he stepped closer to the edge before holding the page out in front of him. And began to tear it, shredding the illustration of a golden blade with certainty before tossing the torn pieces off and into the winds, to be swallowed by the puddles below.

He smiled, shifting to return to his previous spot on the edge of the roof. Raising his hands up before his face, he curled his fingers to rest his nails against one another, brushing his wrists to touch. The light of the moon was caught between his hands, only strengthening his grin.

They could wait a while longer.

It would all be worth it—right?

"Won't be long," Releasing one hand from its pose, he brushed the fabric of his hood down to allow his skin to meet the cold light that illuminated the skies. Bright eyes reflected the light, the slender shape of his nose curved into shadow. His hand once more retrieved something from his pocket, allowing his thumb to run over the star shaped object.

He lifted it up to eye-level, smiling ever stronger. Re-fitting his hood, he turned away for the final time through the scattered puddles of the rooftop before opening a portal.

"I'm almost here."

He cast a final look at the city skies.

It _would _be worth it.

He would make sure of it.

He would face the darkness.

He would find a way.

"I'll face whatever happens."

He glanced down at the pendant.

"I'll make things right."

He passed through the portal with a shiver.

"I _will _keep my promise."


	2. Requiem

The hand he had held was empty.

A broken breath escaped Kairi's lips, the parched skin tasted of salt but she didn't care. Bright eyes shattered at the sight of the empty spot at her side where Sora had been moments before… hadn't he?

"Kairi!"

She heard the steps before the calling of her name, startling her to twist around at the _slightest _chance. Her throat tightened, it was Riku. It wasn't-

Green eyes darted around the small island mass, slowing his jog to a halt as he reached the end of the plank bridge. She didn't need to look to see the others—those _he _had saved from their hearts torment—to know they were running at Riku's heels.

"Where's…" Riku snapped around, eyes widen in search of the missing piece they all yearned to see simply snoozing on the warm sand, or stretched out along the tree with her. "Kairi. Where's Sora…?"

"Gone."

He flinched at the sharpness of her voice, the downward gaze of her eyes that always shined with _such _light. "What-"

Her features wrinkled, contorted as she clenched her jaw. The shift of her shoulders willed him to fill the gap between them, gasping at the cool touch of her skin despite the sun's wrath.

"Kairi…" He swallowed, the heaviness of his breath nevertheless cracked at his voice.

She gritted her teeth, ducking her head to avoid his eyes. Her shorter hair swooped to cover her eyes. "He's… he's _gone_."

The young woman collapsed to the ground before he had time to catch her, buckling his knees as her whole weight suddenly dropped into him. Slender fingers grasped at his jacket, clenching as if it was the only thing to stop her being thrown away by an unseeable wind.

An invisible darkness.

Her forehead laid against his shoulder, her quivering form small against him.

"B-but… you were _both _fine." He barely found the will to speak, staring out towards the vibrant seas as if their friend would submerge from their depths, a soaking mess but laughing at their expense and very much _there_.

But he didn't.

"E-Everything was…" But the words failed to leave his lips, broken by a shuddered breath at the sudden ache that shot through his chest. Kairi gasped into his collar, the material damp from the tears she failed to—not, shouldn't have to—hold.

The patter of steps followed. Laughter and sounds of cheer were shattered as the figures behind them came to a halt, with Riku looking back only to catch Mickey's stare. The other guardians watched the duo, huddled on their knees as Riku patted down his broken friend's hair.

His muscles clenched, the sensation that shot through his torso made his gasp for breath. The shift of stance of their company suggested something… the same.

"S-_Sora_…" He heard Roxas mutter, his voice quiet and brows furrowed as he pressed his hand over his chest, gritting his teeth with winch that nearly sent him too to his knees if not for Axel immediately holding him upward. "-something's wrong."

Riku shifted his attention back to Mickey, blinking at the king's albeit clearly upset but somewhat aware expression… as if their friend's sudden vanishing had been expected. "Your… your majesty?"

The king failed to meet his eye, his large ears faltered.

"Mickey." He snapped, watching the King's startled expression raise up to meet him, only to melt back into his sorrow. His usually wide eyed expression tainted with the lines of age and exhaustion he never let show. "Did you know?"

Mickey paused for a moment before speaking. "I knew using the power like Sora did came at a price but, gosh… I thought he'd succeeded somehow when we all saw him."

"Is he-"

The King didn't even bother to look away, only blinking. "I don't know." He shook his head, stepping back with hooded eyes. "I… I don't know."

Neither Donald or Goofy spoke, only passing their eyes back and forth between their king and where their friend had been sitting mere minutes before. Confusion evident on their faces, nevermind a deep seated hurt that settled as they shared a paled look.

"He can't be gone!" Donald retorted, stamping a flipper down onto the wooden bridge with a mortified gaze that shot around desperately for a sign of the boy. He found none. "He… he _can't _be!" He looked back to Goofy, only to stagger at the expression the knight returned.

"Oh, Sora…" His companion merely sighed, his long ears flopped against his head as he crossed his arms around his chest. "Are… are ya' sure yer majesty?"

Their king's broken look silenced them both.

Riku watched the two for as long as he could bare, letting them slowly wander to his and Kairi's side before offering the princess a hug that she virtually tore them into.

The aurbunette left grace behind as she stumbled into the two, both magician and knight cast a worried look towards Riku from over his friend's shoulder. He swallowed, catching sight of the eyes that all fell upon him. _So this is what he must've felt like_.

"Perhaps we should talk about this later." Aqua added, her bright eyes locked onto the sight of Kairi, still clinging to Donald and Goofy as Namine raced over to her side. "This is no place to-"

"Yen Sid."

The group drew silent when Kairi spoke, her voice a quiet whisper and yet held a resolve none had yet seen in the young woman before. Riku stiffened at the determination in her eyes, the wrinkles etched into her darkened eyes that stole years from her as she wiped away her tears.

Kairi swallowed a shaky breath before meeting their gaze. The fortitude crashed into Riku like waves, the light of her heart breaking forth in a nearly blinding display through their connection… there was no other heart to help share the brunt of its brilliance.

"Would Yen Sid know what happened to… to Sora?"

Aqua's lips opened and parted without a word, furrowing her thin brows for a moment before nodding. "Maybe." Her fists clenched. "He's our best hope, nonetheless."

Riku decided to ignore the tension in the blue-haired master's shoulders, instead turning to face his oldest present friend, only to be stopped by her certain stare.

Kairi turned to face the others. "You all should head home," The startled looks that followed from all except Riku, Mickey and Donald and Goofy did nothing to weaken her firm expression. "Sora made sure that you all had a chance to be together-"

"And you expect us to just _not _help?" Ventus—_Ven_, he had said he had preferred to be called Ven—retorted, the strange dream eater-esque creature perched itself on his shoulder. "Sora has saved my life countless times now, there's no way-!"

Riku interrupted. "He saved you—_us all_—because of your hearts suffering. You've all suffered greatly and need some time to rest and re-organise."

"Of course we will need your help, but if Sora has taught me anything…" Kairi laid her hand over her heart, swallowing a hoarse breath with closed eyes. "-is that you can trust on your friends to answer _when _you call. You all need rest for whatever comes next."

The silveret couldn't help but arch a brow at the sound of her voice, the strength that sank into the core of his heart, as if she shared her light with those around them.

"But Kairi-" Donald made the move to speak, only to sigh as he met the princess' eye. Riku could have almost laughed, perhaps Sora had rubbed off more on the princess of heart then he originally recognized… but he didn't.

Stepped to his friend's side, Riku a hand on her shoulder. Her glare immediately shattered, replaced in a blink as she turned to nod at him before walking up to duck. "I'm sorry, I know… I know you care about him just as much as I do."

"Gawrsh, Kairi." Goofy added with a smile. "Sora is one of our bestest buds, so there's no way we aren't gonna help you look for him!"

"Yeah!" Donald squawked, puffing out his chest as if to make himself seem bigger. Kairi stiffled a soft laugh at the 'heroic' poses the two jumped into. "We wanna help too!"

Riku chuckled at the sheer determination from the duo, the sheer lack of mind about rules sent his mind spiralling back to the battle of Hollow Bastion and how the two had followed Sora, against their King's command, straight into a massive heartless battle. While he hadn't been present for it, those who had in Radiant Garden were sure to mention the valour the trio presented against unprecedented odds.

"Okay." He nodded, turned back to face Mickey who simply nodded at the two before looking to Riku. "Are… will you return to your kingdom? I'm sure your people need you, and we have our gummi-phones."

The King shook his head. "I can't go home knowing there's one more pal left to save." He scratched the back of his head, sharing a pitiful look with him and Kairi. "The least I can do is help you fellas find him best I can… even if I have to say goodbye to even more pals for a while."

Kairi smiled at the King. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The group were silent for a moment, while the emotions still clung to the air, a sense of hope seemed to peek through the setting sun. The colours had always reminded Kairi of Sora; the vibrant colour of the waves and how they never crashed against the shore but rather nursed their rowing boats once they were old enough to journey to the island on their own, the many colours of the skies and how they highlighted the browns and golds of the trees and sunsets.

How long had it been since she and Sora had sat by the pier? Eager to escape their simple lives without a notion of what truly awaited them. His shock at her joking suggestion to leave without Riku, while sending an ache through her now as she caught the eye of said friend who stepped away to speak of something to Master Aqua, had held a certain truth to it at the time.

She had yearned to have time to themselves, to have him realise the crush she had begun to form for him, only growing stronger after his sacrifice and eventual return to her. Even now, after she watched him fade away without any means to stop it, she had wanted to say those three simple words.

Now, she may never get a chance.

"Yeah, that could help us if Master Yen Sid can't."

Kairi shook herself from her thoughts just as Riku nodded at the magic-protege, stepping forward with a widened expression that Riku recognised from their many daydream-filled years of school and her and Sora's less than noteworthy schooling. To be frank, they had found it boring more so than difficult—Sora was actually far smarter than her or Riku gave him credit for, he just had some difficulties with learning stuff from a page.

Seeing him re-learn his abilities within a short space of time and growing even stronger as time went on despite that only proved it. _He could make a good teacher_, she noted, recalling him attempting to teach her cure before leaving for his Mark of Mastery.

Before Riku could explain, however, Aqua spoke to her with an unsure smile. "I'm not certain if it could offer any answers, but our master-" She gesture with a hand back to Terra and Ven who was offering his 'Chirithy', as he claimed it called itself, a finger to scratch the crown of its head. "-spoke of a great library in his original home before being granted Mastership."

Terra nodded along with pursed lips, conflict in his eyes. From what she could tell, their master seemed a rather sensitive subject, given the shift of Ven's gaze back to his Chirithy at the mention of the man. "Himself and… Xehanort," The man swallowed the name back down, smiling as Aqua slid her hand into his. "-may have taken some of the older books and pieces gathered in that library, or even may have left behind traces in order to find it."

"And they could help tell us about the Power of waking."

Aqua nodded. "It's an ancient skill, one that our master choose to teach us _after _we passed our Mastery…" Her voice weakened, turning to catch Ven too grabbing ahold of her other hand. "If we can find either, then they can surely help you."

"T-thank you, Master Aqua." Riku muttered in amazement, the corners of his lips curled. "Perhaps they could know things that even Master Yen Sid doesn't."

She smiled at him. "Both of you, call me Aqua. There is no need for formalities after all we have experienced…" She gave Riku a nervous chuckle. "-even the bad."

The silveret made a face but chuckled softly nevertheless.

"The castle in radiant garden had archives."

Both turned to watch Isa stand a few paces behind them, his arms wrapped around his chest as he and Axel shared a look. The red-head arched a brow, surprise littered his features. Neither truly knew how to react to the man, or his seemingly offer to help their quest in some way.

The once-norted man set his lip into his signature line, his eyes sparked with… something when he turned his attention back to them. "We spent some time in there during Xehanort's… _time_, and he kept much of his belongings under lock and key. Perhaps they could assist you in finding this 'library'?"

"Maybe." Riku said with a flat tone, shifting to untense his stance. The man was offering valuable information, a quick look to Kairi changed her own expression against her once-kidnapper. She had learnt to forgive and see Axel for a person… perhaps Isa was the same, he had been under Xehanort's influence for some time.

But he had _taunted _Sora over Kairi's safety.

A sour taste settled on Riku's tongue as he nodded at the man, avoiding his eye for now. While Sora had always been more… forgiving than either of them, he had also seen his lot of betrayal and manipulation. That much burnt a sort of reluctance into their seemingly 'naive' friend.

There was only so many times one could get burned before they learnt to step away from the flames.

"Alright." He finally spoke, licking his dry lip before addressed everyone with a quick glance. Their eyes felt heavy on him, weighing down far more than he was comfortable with… _how did Sora handle rising up to be the 'leader' when people needed him? How did he not collapse under the weight?_ "We-" He gestured to himself, Kairi, Mickey and both Donald and Goofy, "-will visit Yen Sid and see what we can learn."

He turned to Terra, Aqua and Ven. "You all try to see if you can find anything on that library in the Land of Departure." Memories of Castle Oblivion were immediately cast into his mind, thoughts and emotions he was sure were not his own. _How did Sora leave with this, and with three hearts inside him?_

"Same as you two." Axel rewarded him with a grin, flashing a cheesy thumbs up before Riku turned to the remaining newly-complete nobodies of Namine, Roxas and Xion. "You three-"

Hayner knocked the side of his fist off his chest, widening his stance with a smile. "These guys can stay with us, we're friends after all… and something tells me that maybe that Old Mansion Sora was so interesting in figuring out, along with those sketchy dudes whose butts you guys kicked, might just help."

Turning to face Roxas, who he had been so ready to sacrifice for his friend's life merely half a year prior, he watched the boy shrug casually before flashing him an expression that rang 'you get used to it… data Hayner is _still _Hayner.' Riku flashed him a half-filled smile, the other's expression unreadable unlike his original self.

"Ah, great!" Axel exclaimed, slapping his two younger friends' backs with a grin. "Best to keep these outta' trouble for a bit, but gotta warn yah'," He turned to Ollette. "-they're just as bad as the MIA kiddo."

"Says the guy who taunted Xemnas just before he was going to kill you." Xion arched a brow with a smirk, laying her hands on her hips. Roxas smirked, catching sight of Isa rolling his eyes. "Maybe we should come with, to make sure you don't drive everyone insane just like back in the organisation."

Axel gave the two an irked look that quickly shattered with a laugh. Kairi watched the fiery redhead, quirking a brow. While he wasn't one to wallow in despair, he was certainly… free after saving his friends. She could only hope for the same for her and Riku.

Turning back to forementioned master, Kairi gave Riku a look that left any words otherwise to ruin. "I said I was done with waiting." Her gaze grew downcast, settling into a firmness he hadn't ever seen her wear and yet knew it suited her like a glove.

"Your like Sora," She glanced up as he smirked with a chuckle. "Once you set your mind to something...there's no stopping you."

Kairi chuckled back, stuffing her hands into pockets just as Mickey butted in. "Well fellas… I suppose there's no time to lose."

"Good luck." Aqua added, stepping away from her friends to offer them both a smile, embracing Kairi for a moment with a sigh that taught the younger woman more about the blue-haired woman than she realised. The heaviness, the slight shadow that crept under her eyes despite not aging a day since she had met her as a child. "And may your heart be your guiding key."

Several words of encouragement followed, edging Kairi on to begin walking towards the ship that Sora had once captained, another gummi ship was parked at its side. The bizarrely colored craft _screamed _Sora.

She paused.

"Hey."

Glancing to her side, she felt a larger hand wrap around her and squeeze it gently. Casting her gaze up to the much taller man, she watched his tired by reassuring smile curl into the creases of his cheeks. "We'll find him."

"I know."

Both began to move at the sound of Donald squawking, his mad jabber made it impossible for the princess of heart to understand him if not for the gentle chuckles from the King and Goofy.

Riku nodded with a laugh, racing forward to catch up to the King who had helped him pull himself out of his own darkness, gesturing for her to follow.

She paused, looking back towards the glistening waves and setting light on the horizon. The play island was caught in its darkening glow, letting shadows fall across her childhood home.

She smiled.

_This time_, she thought as she raced forward and into the ship that had premiered in many of her dreams and yet still amazed her in reality, _I'll save you_.

The ship closed with a click, the lights cast out across the darkening island before fluidly rising up just as the others began their way to the second vessel. The islands was quiet except for the gentle lapping of the waves.

But they weren't empty.

The portal opened without a sound, allowing the woman to walk through without a sound and close it behind her. Her hand flinched back as the wisps of darkness faded. Using darkness was… an _necessary _for the events that were to unfold. As often as their master spoke in dramatic and somewhat comedic ways, he had yet to prove her faith wrong—in the _long _term.

Invi sighed, breathing in the salty air that encapsulated everything her master had claimed. A smile curled along her lips, catching sight of the ships flying in seperate directions. Perhaps Aced _was _foolish, perhaps their master still kept his own secrets… she couldn't deny the evident for either.

They didn't have to fear the future _anymore_.

That brought about one certainty that their master had told them, one definite in this chaotic mess he had thrown them right back into that even Aced would have to be blind to not see. She watched both ships fade from view, listening to the waves for a few moments before opening another portal; one made of light.

Nothing was like before.


	3. Friend Or Foe

**A/N: Just a word to mention but the reason for such a long wait for this chapter was because I have exams, and so for the next two weeks I'll have to focus on them. I'll try to at least write out the next chapter or so, but that's the explanation for my absence and future one. I was unsure how to handle Xigbar in this chapter, since I've not written him before this story, so I apologize if he comes off as being OOC. I hope to improve on that. Any comments, criticism or questions about this fic are more than welcome!**

* * *

The cold seemed to sink into his bones, through the layers of torn cloth and sweat drenched skin now dry under the moonlight. Wide eyes blinking, catching the flicker of light reflecting off every puddle. His muscles itched, fingers wiggled to summon his blade. He awaited the shadows to crawl to his feets, to stagger and leap, claws bared.

None came.

He couldn't summon his keyblade.

Sora forced a stolen breath through his lips, blinking to stop the drizzle of rain dropping from the curve of his hood and into his eyes. His hair was soaked beneath, trickling down his neck.

He didn't care.

The dark clouds above sank into everything, casting the lights in shade and hiding the glow of the full moon. He continued on his way, stopping himself from lingering too long to admire the structures around him. The sleek, high skyscrapers that seemed to encase him and the city looked as if they could reach the heavens. He could only think back to the World That Never Was and how those massive buildings at one point had been thrown at him. Xemnas meant business, was all he could suppose with pursed lips.

Different worlds were designed to match vastly different times, the lives of their people revolved around how they adapted, how they coped, how they survived. Why nobodies found their haven in a massive city, he hadn't considered at the time. But now, he did.

The city was a shell—something designed, shaped to hold life—much like they were. Both made for a purpose their very existence denied them of; born without a heart, built on the edge of the realms of light and dark.

He has loved every world he went to, the variety and life that sprouted from the darkness… he had wanted to show Riku and Kairi them all someday.

Sora ducked his head further into his hood. No, I will get to show them. He frowned, glaring at the puddles he strolled through, shaking droplets from his skin. His clothes were made to protect against darkness, not a year's worth of rain. You'd think the latter would've been easier to do and yet, he could turn into a mermaid, a monster… even a lion!

Keeping the world order seemed more important than keeping him from dying of pneumonia.

He clicked his tongue, shaking the thoughts away for now. His scowled as he stumbled into another puddle, but persevered with his pace. Limbs aching, muscles tensed and snapping at every sudden movement…

He had taken on the whole organisation, some occasions with more than one at a time.

And then Xehanort himself-

Sora focused ahead.

The only thing to do was to keep going, hope to find someone who could help him… maybe some shelter if the rain kept up. But with the luck he seemed to be having—he sighed, greeting another puddle with shaky knees—that didn't seem to be how his night would go.

Alone.

In a strange, lifeless city.

With no Keyblade.

No friends.

And no idea how he was going to get home.

With a furrowed brow, Sora crossed his arms around his front and shoved his hands into his armpits. His skin prickled with the cold, while not as severe as Arendelle and it's unnatural winter confusing the fairies' magic, seeking shelter soon rose up to a priority.

The abandoned streets made his senses attentive, wary to the sounds of his steps and quiet breathing. The ringing sound he had awoken to faded, leaving a dull headache in its wake.

He shivered, but let the corner of his lip curl at the thoughts of how the others would react had they been with him. Their encouragement, words of somewhat wisdom—although he'd never tell Donald, his ego was big enough as it was—and jokes. Being alone after having them at his side for so long made him tense, not having someone to watch his back… losing them the first time had been hard enough.

But now, he was the one who was lost.

"There's a heavy price to pay, for wielding such power foolishly." He nibbled on his lip, recalling the words the younger version of Xehanort had said, the man not much older than himself or Riku. The warmth of his palms sank into his arms, rubbing down his forearms like Goofy would have done to his shoulder, hoping to calm the nerves that rose up at the thoughts of whatever 'heavy price' the other had meant.

A heavy price?

Had he meant… his life? His existence?

Was he dead? But… before he'd woken up in that cloud world. Was this time different?

Could he not put himself back together a second time? Or… had no one remembered him enough to keep his memory—his very being—alive?

No. No. That wasn't it. He had saved everyone… they wouldn't just throw him away after all that, right?

No. They would save him, just as he had done for them.

He just had… just had to wait!

Sora swallowed, forcing the lump forming in his throat back down as he forced himself to blink, and then again, and again. His arms tight against his sides, he quickened his pace. The sooner he found someone, the closer he was to getting back home.

It was only a matter of time.

"Don't worry, Kairi." He muttered softly to himself as he glanced upwards, meeting the pitch black of the skies dotted with stars. "I'll get back you, just like I promised."

Huddling into his chest, Sora continued on his way as the rain seemed to lighten up. The dark clouds above parted into clear skies. The cloaked man who lingered down the street said nothing, narrowing his eyes at the teenager's words, as he watched him walk out of sight.

A few moments pass before he followed, keeping his stance low.

* * *

The lure of sleep against the soft hum of the Gummi Ship's engine finally made Kairi realise how tired she actually was, fluttering her eyes to shake off the lullaby of the gentle vibration of the ship.

The trip, compared to their previous route to the Keyblade Graveyard, had been relatively calm. No heartless appeared in the lanes between, no rouge meteorites threatened to burst a hole in the hull and the King had convinced Donald with ease to allow Riku to drive.

Something about 'needed all their strength to help find Sora' was mentioned and the Duck, with heated features, leapt off to allow the silverette to take the wheel.

Perhaps the usually hot-headed magician was just as tired as the rest of them, if the growing bags beneath Riku's eyes were any concern.

She had wanted to smile at the scene, at the soft encouraging words Mickey whispered to help show Riku the controls—they both would eventually need to learn—and the exhausted stubbornness of Donald and Goofy had against getting some rest… but she couldn't.

It hadn't even been a day since Sora had vanished, fading right before her eyes and leaving only an empty space as if he was never there, and she couldn't even consider sleep. Only the thought of Yen Sid answering their prayers (as if the old master could simply hand them a map with Sora's location marked with an X) seemed to calm her nerves.

The adrenaline of battle, the twitch of fingers that ached at how hard she had clenched Radiant's Embrace, remained. Her whole body was exhausted, her energy stolen from not only fighting the final battle twice but also keeping herself and Sora alive the first time around.

The knot in her stomach continued to tangle, weaving intricately as her tightening her hands around her legs with her knees risen to rest against her chest. Her chin rested on her knees, squaring her jaw to watch the forms of Donald and Goofy sitting across from her, both resting against once another as they snored.

Sora fitted right in, she thought with a weak smile, already sending an ache through her that made her turn away. Him fading away, the warmth of his hand encasing her one moment and then nothing the next was indescribable.

Whenever they had been separated before, he had always promised to return. He had always sworn to return her lucky charm… he had still had it after he saved her.

Had… had he known what would happen? What was the cost for her life?

The thought threatened to choke her, to cut away the threads of hope that he had sown her heart, her light, back together with without question. The measure between them was undeniable—the savior of worlds, the hero who brought everyone back from the brink of eternal darkness—in exchange for a girl who tried and failed to be of use?

She had failed to help him save Riku from Ansem and close the door to darkness.

She had been thrown aside to the sidelines while he and Riku destroyed Xemnas.

She had let the organisation use her against Sora—twice—to break him.

How could he have possibly seen her as an equal trade?

Cast a look towards the cockpit front, she watched the silverette sway subtly with the movements of the wheel, tilting and maneuvering along the predetermined route. Chip and Dale had made the decision to log in a far more advanced computing system before the King had lent it to Riku, so he could go to worlds he hadn't known the route to. Or, at least, that was what Riku had said to pass small-talk during the journey before she moved to the back of the ship.

Sora had told her about his constant visits to familiar worlds, be it to check up on old friends, see how the darkness was affecting the world or just to escape the noise of everything. He had never needed something to tell him where to go, he just… knew the way.

His heart guided him to wherever people needed him most.

She could recall his nervous chuckle, scratching his cheek with a sideways glance. "Well… I did what I always do—I let my heart guide me… I know sometimes Riku wishes I'd just listen to orders, but it helps! So who cares?"

Stealing a slow breath, she let her eyes wash over the control panel, the flickering of small LED's in an assortment of colours. To wonder how anyone could remember what they all meant.

While the ship had logged in worlds and their routes during previous journeys, the addition of auto-control would surely come in use. It would let those driving do other task while it went on a set route.

Kairi shifted her legs out and off the seat, resting them on the floor before stretched out like a cat in the sun. Her shoulder clicked, rolling back into the chair before she sat upward. She watched Riku, noting his shift in posture. "How long still?"

The other didn't answer for a moment or two, mulling over as he chewed his lip. "About ten minutes, give or take…" He held off, going silence far too quickly to not have stopped himself from continuing. "-how are you holding up?"

"Tired." She sighed. "I wouldn't mind one of the fairies making some more of that tea-"

"Kairi."

She blinked, observing as he flicked a button to change one of the monitors to a set of scales before pursing his lips, twist back to meet her eye while one hand remained on the wheel.

Neither spoke as they shared a look, beckoning the other to be the first to speak.

It wasn't her.

"You know what I mean." He spoke as if it was some finality, some defining end.

Her lips parted and closed, clenching her jaw instead as she turned her attention back to the ground. The soles of her shoes squeaked off the surface, drawing shapes with her feet before coming to a still. "I… I just want to him find Sora."

"I know." He murmured, his voice barely escaping her lips and yet rang through her mind as she looked back up to face him. The lines etched under his eyes, the puffy dark shadows that crept into them… he had had the same look after returning to the islands, after forcing himself to accept that change that had twisted their lives. "I do too."

Her mouth pressed into a line. "We will find him," She leaned forward, tilting her head to the side. "-together. We'll bring him home, just like you."

"Right." Riku said sharply, letting out an abrupt cough before twisting back around to face the controls. He nodded aimlessly, his eyes danced across the array of buttons and switches.

Trinkets littered the ship, having been Sora, Donald and Goofy's practical home for more or less the last two years. Books collected through their travels, brightly colour knick-knacks that of course Sora would've loved to collect and accessories were scattered about. Spare clothes laid folded in a trunk near to where Kairi sat.

"Riku?"

"You better wake the others," He said plainly, his tone shifted as her eyes drew back over to the two snoring across from her. "we should be there in a minute or two."

Kairi made the move to speak, but decided against it. A moment or two past before Riku settled back into his seat, his attention primed to recheck their systems and landing gear just as a small blob of colour made its way into her vision. She blinked, casting a final look at the slightly-older teen before sighed, leaning to pat Goofy on the shoulder before heading towards the further back of the ship.

The knight snorted, making a sound of confusion before chuckling good-heartingly at her. She smiled, chuckling at his attempts to wake the still-sleeping duck laying against him. Donald merely swatted him away, muttering before turning back over.

And she thought Sora was a persistent sleeper.

Shaking away the thoughts that began to knock against her mind, threatening to send her spiralling down a path she did not want to follow, Kairi nodded back at the knight before leaving through the back door. The hold of the ship was small enough, with some supplies and spare parts for the ships filling up some secured crates. She could've sworn some had probably been loaded when Donald and Goofy had first set off after the king. Before Xehanort, before accepting their roles in a war that technically they didn't belong in… before Sora.

She frowned. It was… weird, to even consider a time before they had become a set. Before Donald and Sora bickered but still picked on another up, passing remarks that had no weight behind them, biting back and forth. Before Goofy and his smile, his vigilant eye on Sora that always knew when he was upset.

"Your Majesty?"

A soft sound alerted her to his position, snapping her eyes sideways to the upper corner of the hold. He sat on some of the previous crates, plaid clothes still threaded and smudged with dirt and sand even into their seams. The King's feet just hovered above the ground, his head cast down as he leaned onto his legs before shooting up to face her.

Mickey brushed his nose with a gloved hand, swallowing before fumbling to stand up. "Kairi! Gosh, I… I mustn't have heard yah'." She arched a brow at this, watching the short king leap to his feet, failing to meet her eye as he ran his hands down his shirt, straightening his clothes out.

"Your majesty," She spoke lowly, cautious of his two oldest friends right beside the door. "-are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah… suppose I'm just tired!" He chuckled, offering her a smile that didn't reach his cheeks. "Is it...uh," He brushed a finger beneath his nose, turning to face the door. "Is it time already?"

"Riku said we'd be there in a few minutes…"

Kairi watched him shift his weight between his feet, snuffling as he primed his appearance as best he could. The lines etched deep into his skin, the shadows that lingered beneath his eyes and inside them too… when was the last time he had gotten a nights rest?

"Alrighty…" He forced a smile, gesturing towards the door she had come through seconds before. "We'd best get going, the sooner we land the closer we are to helping Sora!"

Kairi moved to speak, but closed her mouth just before the door swished behind him. With furrowed brows, she soon followed the king, casting one look back at the dull hold. The body of the ship buckled, sending a sense of foreboding through her.

_The King's right, we shouldn't keep Sora waiting._

Hearing what sounded like Riku call out to her, she headed back through the door, allowing the warmth of the main hull of the ships to soak into her once more, fluttering her eyes to adjust to the light as she stepped back into the cockpit. The Mysterious Tower lingered off in the distance, growing closer and closer with every second.

There would be time to talk later, they had a job to do.

* * *

Sora did the only thing he could do—he walked.

Counting step after he step, soon his eyes felt too heavy to gaze upward as the lights he past, the massive skyscrapers that glistening and seemed to reach the stars. His limbs were sore, muscle tensed and breath stiffened in the cold air.

How long had he been walking?

The streets went on in an endless parade, as if shooting up like plants from the ground. A concrete and glass jungle. Forcing himself to swallow despite the strain of his throat, he carried on. The minutes felt as if they faded into hours, and yet the moon failed to shift from its throne in the cloudy skies. Sora blinking, watching how the light reflected off the puddles and casting the world in silver.

It had been some time since he had seen the moon, with them always travelling and hopping between worlds… days seemed to blur together. Each world has its own time, while not many that different, it was weird to go from a sunny morning in Corona to the midnight in Monstropolis.

Sora sighed as he came to a sudden halt, raising his arm to rub the remaining drizzle from his face only to decide against it at the soaked material of his sleeves. He yanked his hood down, glaring around at the empty, dark streets he was sure all looked the same. "Come on… gimme a break!" He groaned, holding his hands to his hips as he duck his head.

And he thought the Realm of Darkness was bad… at least there, he had heartless to keep him on the edge. But in this world—for the first time in years, he hadn't come across a single enemy.

Heartless, nobodies, unversed… they didn't attack.

They didn't even appear.

Sora frowned. "Maybe… maybe I am dead-"

"Aww," A familiar voice suddenly called, sending a spike of adrenaline through the teenager within a moment. "-and here I thought you'd like to take a backseat for once!"

Sora stepped back as he twisted around to the source of the voice, glaring as he landed on the golden stare that reeked of arrogance. His stomach churned, blinking as he was overcome with confusion. "Xi-Xigbar?! But I watched you-"

"Die?" The man stopped him, arching a brow after brushing away… whatever expression he had made at his name. He chuckled, brushing a finger beneath his nose. "Come on, squirt… even you're not dense enough to fail this one."

A moment passed before the teenager's gaze dropped, any retort died on his lips as he left his mouth agape. "I'm… we're dead."

"Not… exactly."

His gaze shot back up, furrowing his brows. "What? But this isn't…"

Sora's voice slowly sank into a mutter, his expression stalling with wrinkled eyes. Xigbar watched him, arching a brow to hide the quiver of his lip, the knowledge that burnt into his usually bright eyes. He had only seen that expression once before-

"Then," Sora shook his thoughts away, forcing the other to refocus. "-where are we? And how can we be 'sorta' dead?"

The man made a face that Sora couldn't help but feel a shiver run through him at, watching the sinking of his brows in thought. Vibrant yellow eyes bleed with brown, sinking into his irises. He stole calculated steps, pacing before him as he cupped his hips.

Pursing his lips, Xigbar turned back to face him after a few moments of silence before shrugging. "No idea, sorry Ma-_kiddo_." He chuckled, shaking his head as he ducked it. "For once, seems we're both on the same page."

"Same… page?"

"Yep." Xigbar spoke bluntly, raising his brows as he stretched his arms out before him, giving a sigh once they cracked. "But we are _sorta_ alive… you really gonna complain about that?"

Sora watched him cautious. "No… are you?"

"As if."

Both shared a look at the sound of a clap of thunder, the flash of skies a few moments later led Xigbar to turn back to him. Sora paused, looking over the man. There was… something different about him. "If I'm 'sorta dead'... is there a way to become 'sorta alive' too?"

"If I knew that, ya' think I'd be here?"

"You're the one who jumped off that stone column thing."

Xigbar growled. "Oh, annoyed I didn't let you do the honours?"

Sora parted his lips to speak but closed them in silence, causing Xigbar to watch in confusion as the teen before him shifted on his feet, eyes glued to the ground. Neither spoke as the rain continued to trickle down, bouncing off Xigbar's coat and onto Sora's smaller, soaked form.

"Nevermind." Xigbar blinked at his tone, to sheer drop of expression. Pursing his lips, Sora swung around to have his back towards the man. "I don't care, I'll find a way."

Pacing through puddles, Sora kept his stance tense at the sound of heels clicking off the pavement. His fingers twitched—he couldn't summon his keyblade… could Xigbar still use his powers?

"You're always about your friends… huh?" Xigbar called out after him, his voice pitched almost as if he was amused, but the expression Sora caught as he turned to face him while keeping his pace didn't. He looked… unsure? Confused? That shifted away at the curl of his lip, however. "Well, sorry to say but none of your buds are here… just you and me."

"I'll be fine."

"Oh, I'm sure you will be…"

With a huff, Sora yanked his hood back over his damp—but—slowly—drying hair just as the older man gave a chuckle, but said nothing more to him as he made his way. His fist curled in his pocket, gripping a hold of the charm that remained inside.

_He's just trying to mess with me._

_He's just as lost as I am._

_At least I have friends to count on._

Sora sucked a cold breath through his teeth, frowning as he made his way into the night and away from the man who watched him go. The other crossed his arms across his chest, clicking his tongue.

Xigbar shook his head with a soft chuckle. "Damn Master… who'd ah' thunk you'd be such a piece of work." Blowing a breath through his lips, he stole one final look at the boy who soon faded from his view. "This is gonna be… _fun_."

* * *

**A/N: had to update this, I didn't realise the text had repeated itself until I read through it. But that's all fixed now. If there are any errors in need of correction that people catch, a comment or pm is fine by me**


	4. Questions

**A/N: This is just a quick apology for the long wait for this chapter, I've been dealing with a lot of school work from exams to oral exams for my final to finishing projects that are apart of those final exams, so life's been hectic and this chapter has been sitting on my computer for over a week now half-finished. But, thankfully, I have a two week break now so I'll try to write in-between studying so I can just upload chapters later on when I'll be super busy.**

**Sorry for the shorter chapter this time, but the next few will be getting longer hopefully and I have time to write now so here's to hoping. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

A soft breeze blew Aqua's hair back into her face as the gust of wind left by the ship's takeoff soon faded into the clouds, leaving her watching with hitched breath. A sharp clap echoed in the skies, somewhat like thunder, before the Land of Departure drew silent.

The looseness of her limbs was a steady recovery, giving way for slight aches now and again that she simply decided to ignore. Spending most of their lives training to hone such vulnerabilities seemed to finally come with positive results.

_Spending our childhood as soldiers… waiting for a battle we were destined to lose. _

Aqua shook such thoughts away, instead rolling her neck against the smooth wind that brushed off her skin. She welcomed such sensations as she allowed her eyes to shut. Feeling the tingle of her skin against the radiant sun, the pureness of the air brush off her lips, the warmth of the sun hot against her… and yet, she _couldn't_.

Sora. The boy who had saved them.

He was… _gone_.

Faded away into the same winds he had sacrificed himself to allow them to feel once more.

Aqua opened her eyes eyes at the sound of rubber skidding on dirt, blinking as if expecting to meet an obsolete land of ash and rusted metal. Instead, she saw Ven twist back around from his spot a few feet ahead. He bounced on his heels, that peculiar creature clinging for dear life to his shoulder plate.

She smiled, chuckling as she brushed a hand over her lips at the sight of him awkwardly shrugging. The creature seemed to have no trouble telling him off.

"I thought it would be a while before I heard that."

Twisting back, Aqua arched a brow at her older friend. Terra paced himself, his stance casual as he strolled to her side before crossing his arms over his chest. "Hear what?"

"Your laugh." She blinked at his reply, his tone soft. The corners of his lips curled, "I… I missed it."

"Terra-"

He raised his hands in false defense, chuckling with a sideways glance back towards Ven. "I know, I know… there'll be time for mushy stuff later!" Before she could reply, he continued onwards, tilting his head back towards her before nudging his shoulder ahead.

Aqua made the move to speak, but found her words stolen at the distant shout of Ven.

She pursed her lips, failing to hide her smile. _Not even a day back and he's already impatient_.

Refusing to waste any more time, Aqua broke into a light jog in order to catch up to them, slowing to a stop at Terra's side in order to join him in meeting at the entrance to their home. Her heart ached at the sight of the courtyard, recalling how the darkness swept in and engulfed all she had known, all she had loved.

_No, now is not the time for memories_. she pushed back such thoughts, focusing of quirking a brow towards the 'Chirithy', as Ven had called it, as it passed its weight between its feet. The small creature was loyal, never wavering from her friend for more than a few minutes.

Ven grinned back at them, turning back mid-step to gesture them inside before racing ahead. The Chirithy sighed, casting a look at Aqua and Terra before following the teen. Terra only snorted at the sight of the stout creature waddling after him, almost breaking into hysterics if not for Ven's catching onto its plight and lifting it back onto his shoulder.

"I hope Ven knows how much care that… _thing _will need."

Aqua nodded, glancing to the much taller man at her side with a hum. "If I'm being honest, I think perhaps it will end up looking after _him_." She smiled at the sound of her friend's chuckle.

"Let's hope he's right about it."

Blowing a soft breath through her lips, Aqua walked forwards before turning back to him. "Come on, I'm sure there some of the master's tea left in the pantry… I think we could use some."

"But-"

"Terra."

He paused at the assertion of her voice, the sharp tone that drew his eyes slowly to meet hers. He blinked first. "I'm… I'm sorry."

Aqua sighed, her gaze fell to the path before them and how the heels of her shoes clicked off the mossy stone. Her stare was strong, mighty compared to the feeble drop of gaze he returned. Terra swallowed down the parched dryness of his throat, shrugging away the fumbling ball of flames building up in his chest. "Nevermind… let's go."

Aqua made little attempt to stop him from continuing his slow pace after Ven, watching him space himself from her just as another breeze flew against her back. Her shoulders tightened, straightening her arms against her side. She hummed in newborn submission before quickly following him.

What could be said — what should've been said as soon as they had left those desolate wastelands with Ven content to catch up with Mickey and the others — refused to resurface beyond her thoughts. How could she bring up the wounds, the scars so freshly sheared into both flesh and mind? A decade of torture, restrained by word and soul. Of wandering a shadowy lands that still crept into her muscles, jolting and flinching at every touch, every graze of a comforting hand that failed to catch her notice until contact struck.

How could they begin to heal — when neither of them wanted to reopen that most recent past?

How could she call herself **Master**? How could she attempt to help in saving the boy who had dragged her with love alone back into the light, awakening Ven and giving Terra the will to finally break his bonds?

How could she face such a new world?

How could she face these new fears?

This new time that felt so familiar and yet so different? That crept by without a glance towards their suffering; ignorant to the unfair hurt that seeped into her until breaking through like a blade through flesh, a blunt object to the harshness of ice.

Aqua sighed, grazing her fingertips along her biceps and tracing the shapes of faded darkness, left without so much as a shadow of what she had become. Of the phantom that still lingered in her mind, whispering and curling it's dark claws around her throat. Of squeezing until she couldn't breath, until her heart bled black and her blade struck the innocent, those restrained by the orders of those they trusted.

Blinking, she allowing her eyes to trace around the courtyard where their Master—their father—had been struck down.

Perhaps she too succumbed to the ignorance of the world. Or maybe to the tiredness that still made her tastes yearn for the deep aroma her Master had allowed her to taste once reaching Ven's age and the strain of late nights gorging on the feast of whatever books he would give her from his collection.

For once in a long time, she didn't care for the figure who shaped out in the corner of her eye for a moment, until she truly looked.

But there was nothing.

Her instincts were still dazed, her mind worn from a decade of exhaustion crashing down upon them.

Swallowing, she followed her friends into the foyer of the once-_Castle Oblivion_, as Riku had commented. She shut the door behind her with a click.

She had work to do, she couldn't think of those shadows, of those phantoms in the depths of her. Sora had risked the danger of the darkness, of an irreversible fate to allow them to be together… that debt had to be repaid. Words about the past could wait — she had a fellow Master to save.

No matter what Yen Sid said.

* * *

Watching the blue-haired Master's guilt seemed to awaken something in Invi, tracing her fingers along the fallen blade with words of blessing on her lips. Whoever their Master had been… his blade held a great light.

She could understand the trio's pain — the loss of her Master, if even for only a time until this age had sent a rift through them… she could only hope perhaps the three could avoid such a fate. They had only just recovered one another; if what little her Master had told her of them was to be believed. To be thrown back head-first into conflict was… was a familiar ache her heart too felt.

The Master hadn't even stayed for a day… gone, just as suddenly as last time into a portal of darkness of _all things_. Invi pursed her lips, shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts that laid triumphant in her heart, that long clouded her vision upon Luxu calling them.

There was no time for questions.

"_Later." The Master had said… "We'll have plenty of time for all those once we-"_

Another task was dumped upon their laps, talk of history and grand feats of magic in this time… what about _their _time? Their unions? Their home? Did none of that matter? Was… was there no time to mourn everything they had ever known?!

Lifting her head, Invi gazed around the impressive structures littered about the high mountainous plains of the Departure, the worn stone paths and golden railings and lanterns stained by centuries.

It reminded her of Daybreak Town.

How? How could their Master continue onwards with a spring in his step, a chuckle or quip ready on his lips when the shadows of her heart threatened to swallow her? How could he handle this pain so… so nonchalantly? Did he care? _Why _didn't he care?

And that blonde child… had a _chirithy_. He was the same age as Gula and A-

Ava.

Where was she? What had Luxu meant by 'completed her role'? Hadn't they all followed their roles aside from Aced, so foolish to quickly step out of the Master's teachings in order to save the light.

Perhaps he had been right.

Perhaps… the Master was _wrong_?

The winds blew gently on the fabric of her hood, wrinkling the soft material and causing the sides to flap against her cheeks. Allowing the sun to sink into her robes, feeling their warmth against her skin… how long had it been since she had simply stood. How long had it been since she feasted on the words of something beyond the book given by the Master? Since she had stole alone, not watching the others or analysing those ancient words with Ira.

How long had it been since she had been a child.

No titles, no missing pages or boxes lent to be carried through time.

When had their family broken apart?

Invi swallowed back the ball threatened to form in the back of her throat, her face with a hand before pursing her lips. Straightening the shape of her mask back into place, she turned on her heel back towards that 'Land of Departure'.

The Master had said that there was something in those walls that they needed to retrieve… and before long, she would have help in doing so.

Patient.

Quiet.

Aware.

All of those qualities he had long praised against the ruckuss of Aced's arrogance or Ira's isolation… he needed her to await a friend, a guide.

Sighing with a final glance over her robes, Invi began to walk.

She needed to trust the Master.

To do as he said.

To retrieve this 'lost piece'.

Then, she could find Ava.

Then and only then, could they fix what was broken so long ago.


	5. Out Of The Shadows

The marble steps of the grand staircase clicked with every step, her body surprisingly not tired despite the height of the tower and how high such a climb should be. Kairi, ever since being brought by Riku to begin her training, had never truly questioned the sheer power such a magical illusion would need, nevermind the ever-changing layout of the tower and rooms.

"Y'know, even before I finished my training, I don't think Master Yen Sid has ever had his tower the same way twice."

Kairi turned at the sound of the higher voice, blinking at Mickey who walked by her side with a eager pace. The slump of his shoulder was replaced by excitement, a will to reach the top as quickly as possible that she couldn't deny a smile. He gave a nod, seeming to know exactly what she had been thinking as she glanced around during their long climb.

Looking ahead, she watched the rise and fall of Riku's shoulders, the steady rhythm of his pace as his arms swung by his sides.

"Well, it makes _sense_." The silveret added after a second of thought, tilting his head to show his attention back to them. "Having it always change means no one can find their way up unless he lets them. Sneak attacks would be virtually impossible… I bet this place has plenty of defensive features even you haven't seen, Mickey."

The King chuckled at this. It had taken some time to get Riku out of the habit of referring to his title and instead an equal, but at last the man seemed to finally ease into his mastery. Kairi smiled as his words made their way through her head, raising her head to peer up to the starry skies that hide the top of the tower from view. _Yen Sid surely likes stars…_

"Must get lonely though." She said after a moment or two, crossing her arms across her chest. " I mean, living here all alone in the middle of the realms in-between."

Mickey nodded, "I suppose Master Yen Sid doesn't mind. Besides, I try to visit him whenever I can or invite him back home… or at least I _did_, before Xehanort and all." The King's expression shifted, his smile weakened and couldn't quite meet his cheeks. Even without looking down, Kairi could tell he was wrangling his gloved hands together and around the hem of his jacket.

"Once we get Sora back, I'm sure he'll make sure we all keep in touch… he'd hate to think _anyone _was lonely."

Kairi glanced back up towards Riku, his vision cast firmly ahead as they continued on their way, climbing higher and higher until the bottom faded from view. How anyone could handle these stairs all the time, she had no idea. Then again, Yen Sid did have magic. He could simply teleport outside the Tower if needed… not that she had ever heard of him leaving aside from helping them in the war against Xehanort. To see the tall wizard cast the ocean of heartless aside was… surreal, as if meeting him for the first time.

Mickey chuckled at Riku's comment, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yep, Sora's always been one to not leave a pal feeling down, that's for sure." His shoulders faltered for a moment, furrowing his brows in focus. "So… we should hurry, to make sure he doesn't have to be for long either."

His dark eyes crept over to Kairi, nodding at the determination that stiffened her jaw and quickened her step. "Yeah. Let's not keep him waiting."

A low chuckle rang out before them, causing both princess and king to look upward to see Riku slow, glancing back at them while gently shaking his head. Both arched a brow at his hand raising up to brush his lips, grin remaining. "You two… wow, you sound _just _like him."

"Funny for you to say that," Kairi smirked back. "Weren't you the one giving a heartfelt speech about 'never giving up' like two hours ago?"

"What can I say? He rubs off on people." The trio continued to laugh as they made their way upward, finally reaching the landing that held a single door. A marking painted onto the wood similar to that of a star — Mickey cast a look at her for raising a brow at this, amusement warped her smile — that Riku knocked his knuckles against without hesitation.

A moment passed before a deep voice came from the other side, the wizard sounding closer to the door than usual. "Come in."

Without question, the silver-haired Master opened the door before allowing Kairi and Mickey to go through, following them and shutting the door once more with a click. His boots padded off the floor inside, the dark colours of his and the King's outfits contrasting the browns, blues and golds that brought a sense of calmness over them.

"Hello, Master." Kairi watched Mickey's form straighten, his posture fixed as he spread his weight between him legs. The Wizard acknowledged him with a nod, allowing him to relax somewhat as he raised a hand in welcome. "We've come to speak with you about Sora."

Yen Sid was silent for a moment, closing his eyes only to open them a few seconds later. "Yes. I am aware of young Sora's circumstance."

"Y-you _are_? I mean... yes, of course." Mickey stammered for a moment, before recomposing himself just as Riku gestured for Kairi to follow him, stepping to stand at the King's side. "Sora disappeared after saving Kairi, I knew that the power of waking had some sorta 'cost' and all but.._._"

Riku stared ahead, studying how the old Master ran a hand down his beard, tilting his head forward to linger in thought. A low hum ran through him, sighing before opening his eyes once more to look at Kairi. "Sora said nothing to you of his fate before his disappearance?"

"No." Kairi said firmly, simply staring at the desk between them. "He smiled, he… he held my hand and then-" She didn't continue, only sucking in a harsh between before looking up a the wizard. "-but I know he's still out there, I can _feel _it. He saved me… I owe it to him to do the same."

"The heart is not easily lied to, it sees beyond any facade, any spell of light or darkness. Due to your unique connection, your certainty of his condition may indeed prove him within our grasp." His expression set once more into neutrality, ignoring the confused look Kairi gave him in return to his cryptic wisdom. "But, alas… we may have to wait in our attempt to save Sora."

Their reaction, just as Yen Sid expected, was immediate.

The trio jumped in alarm at his words, with both Kairi and Riku staring at him in anger while Mickey's mouth laid open in disbelief, allowing his companions to leap to action. Riku, in the heat of sudden anger, slammed clenched knuckles down onto the wooden table sending several things to the door including a inkwell, while Kairi stiffened, gritting her teeth towards the Master.

"You… you can't be serious Master!" Riku all-but shouted, arching his back to lean his arms against the table and towards the other Master. "We can't leave him! He… he could be in danger and he's alone out there."

Yen Sid didn't react to the violence, instead blinking before addressing them all calmly. "You misunderstand, Riku… Kairi." He looked eyes with the Princess of Heart for a moment. "By no means do I suggest we simply abandon Sora… but to go after him _now _would be foolish."

"How." Kairi growled, her voice refusing his usual ambiguity.

Yen Sid cupped his hands together before slowing rising to his feet, his eyes never leaving the three. "You see, prior to your arrival, I sensed a great energy throughout the worlds… one not belonging in this realm."

"The darkness?" Riku questioned, furrowing a brow as his breathing slowed, glancing at Mickey who rubbed his forearm reassuring. "But… Sora defeated Xehanort, all the organisation are dead! Is it the heartless?"

Yen Sid shook his head, pushing his chair back with magic to allow him to step away from his table. "No. This goes beyond the power of any foe we have yet faced. The heartless, nobodies, unversed… none compare to the pure will of whatever force has awoken."

"Then," Kairi spoke slowly, nibbling on her bottom lip. "shouldn't it be a priority to _save_ Sora? To get him back to help us fight? If this threat is so powerful-"

"To do so would put you both in grave danger." Yen Sid interrupted, walking past them and causing Kairi to turn to follow him. "As you are well aware, Kairi… you have little to no training akin to that of Riku or Mickey. To send you on such a mission would surely put you in harms way."

Yen Sid stopped at one of the shelves across the room, skimming his finger along the thick volumes of leather bound books the three were sure to hold great magic. His thick brows set, deepening the gaze of his eyes as wisps of magic seemed to smoke from his fingertips, looking intently across each book. "But this force and Sora's disappearance has occurred too closely intertwined to be a mere coincidence."

Kairi arched a brow. "You think… that this 'enemy' woke up _because _of Sora?"

"The timing is beyond chance. I would be sure to assume that however way Sora was able to revive you, must have been connected to this unknown force."

The tall wizard didn't need to look back to feel the heated glare the young Princess burnt through him, her bright eyes widened after a moment of thought, stepping forward as if to challenge him for such a claim. "Sora would never have used the darkness! He… he wanted to protect people, he wouldn't have released the sort of thing you're talking about!" Without hesitation, she snapped over to Riku and Mickey, only to stumble at the sight of their downtrodden expression.

Riku failed to meet her eye.

"R-Riku…?" She asked slowly, leaning towards her oldest friend. "Come… come on! We know that Sora would've never-"

"You didn't see him." Riku paused, swallowing. "You didn't see him after you… after Xehanort _killed _you."

"What…" She gasped. "What are you talking about? Sora's light was as strong as ever. I felt it!"

Riku exhaled slowly, teal eyes slowly rose up to meet her, the creases of his face aged him decades. His arms crossed one another, tilting his head downward in defeat. "I'm… I'm not saying Sora would ever give _into _the darkness." A pained expression rang across the young Master's face, peeling away to glance down at Mickey who gave Kairi a similar look. "But… your death it… I've never felt such darkness off him before. He… he wanted to _kill _Xehanort for what he did."

"Right after the battle, he leapt to go and find 'yah." Mickey added. "He was desperate to bring yah' home and, while I know Sora's a real pal and a powerful light user… but, loss can lead people down a darker path. Especially considering how much you too cared about one another… he refused to leave you waiting any longer. He was determined to find ya' on his own-"

"I… I can't believe you two."

Both Masters watched the Princess return their pained expression with a glower, her clenched jaw added years as she looked between them before turning back to Yen Sid. She watched the Wizard retrieve a book from one of the higher shelves, before calmly stepping back behind his desk. "I'm afraid that, while our hearts wish to believe otherwise, none of us can truly know the extent of the means to which Sora used to aid in your return."

Kairi gritted her teeth, curling her fists around the ruffled hems of her dress. She glared down at the fabric in defeat, as if drawing her anger to her attire rather than the attentive trio still watching her.

"I… can't believe you would doubt Sora like that."

Her gaze dropped to her side, catching the moving form of Riku who shifted to reach out to her, causing him to falter for a moment only to return to his previous stance. "Kairi," He spoke softly, pursing his lips into a frown. "I believe in Sora, that he would always do the right thing but… but losing you hurt him. Badly."

"That doesn't mean we go around pointing fingers!" The Princess of Heart suddenly spoke out, her voice rising quickly enough to make Riku flinch. Both shared a look before turning back at the sound of pages rustling.

"Kairi-"

Her arms tore across her chest, twisting away from the man and once more facing Yen Sid with full attention. "Let's… let's just drop it. We need to focus."

"I-" But he failed to reply, instead closing his agape mouth with a conflict winch. His gaze shifted to Mickey, who returned a similar look. The King pursed his lips.

_Give her time_.

Yen Sid, however, paid little attention to the quarrel acting out before him, instead using his magic to continued searching through the book, allowing hundreds of page to fly open before landing on one. The book didn't appear special, with olive stained pages and a simple navy, leather-bound cover that was scribbled on in a language none of the trio could understand.

"While the reason for this forces' appearance remains to be seen, we must act accordingly in both combating the possible threat it could reveal. Kairi," The ancient Master cast his tired eye on the silent princess. "due to the loss of Sora and your current lack of training, it is of utmost importance that you train with Riku."

"What about Merlin?"

Yen Sid nodded at the reply, cupping his hands in his sleeves and letting them rest on his lap. "While Merlin is sure to assist you in some areas of your training, due to your… disability in the fight with Xehanort, it is clear now that perhaps a method similar moreso to that of what Sora and Riku experienced would allow you to adapt quicker." He cast a look to Riku. "And with a Master by your side in battle, I have no doubt that your skills will improve with time."

Kairi allowed her eyes to fall to her feet, rubbing the toe of her boot into the polished marble. "Right…" Her eyes quickly, however, rose to meet the Master straight on. "-but I'm guessing looking for Sora is beyond my skill set? Unlike, say… fighting a war?"

The two by her side were quick to react.

"_Kairi_." Riku spoke firmly, furrowing his brows in shock at her tone. "Master Yen Sid is trying to help us. I understand you're upset about Sora, I am too but-"

The Princess merely met him with an angry glare, matching his expression as Mickey lingered on, unsure how to interrupt the slowly evolving staring match between them and instead looking to his old Master to find a neutral look.

"Nevertheless." Yen Sid continued as if ignoring the bitter looks between the two teenagers, casting his fingers in a golden glow to allow the pages to soar open until it landed on another page of unreadable text. "Given your unique stasis as a Princess of Heart, it would do us wisely to enable your abilities. Light magic, for one, should be a priority."

Kairi nodded softly, her lips set into a line as her eyes clung to the pages, scanning over them in hopes to recognise anything the Wizard was looking over. "And the others?"

"They will need time to recuperate, to rest after their long suffering and part played in defeating Xehanort." Yen Sid glanced upwards after silently reading for a few moments before flicking his wrist, allowing the book to close. "But, they too will need to be evaluated for their skills and be granted vessels of their own on which to travel. Despite Xehanort's defeat, the opening of Kingdom Hearts inspired an arrogance in the darkness… given our new foe, we must take immediate action in preparing the least skilled for the oncoming threat."

"Right."

Riku cast a look over to her, watching her expression set into one of cool determination towards the wizard. His stomach clenched at the look she gave, the sheer edge of her glare sharpening like one would a blade. A coldness ran over him — Sora had the _exact _same look before he left.

"Master Riku," He shrugged these thoughts away however at the address of Yen Sid, looking back up to face his fellow Master with a straightened back, letting his arms fall to his sides. "You will accompany Kairi on this task, to assist in evaluating her virtues and techniques. Should either of you desire, the Good Fairies have offered to craft new garments for you both… given the strain of the battle of Xehanort and his selves."

Riku swallowed, nodding with swift duck of his head only to move on instinct as Kairi lunged towards him, forcing him to step back as she sped towards the adjoining room where the fairies usually waited. "I-uh-" He stammered, pausing before rushing after his friend. "Thank you."

Without another word, the young Master raced after his heated friend, catching the door just as she threatened to swing it closed all too eagerly. Both Mickey and Yen Sid watched on, the latter patting down the white hairs of his beards with a groan before turning back to face his old apprentice. "Mickey."

"Gosh… I'm sorry about that, I've never seen Kairi so riled up before. But, with Sora and all..."

"It is to be expected," The Old Master replied coldly. "-her ties with Sora have only grown stronger in their time apart, as well as events transcending before the war from what I could sense. Their connection surely suffered in the aftermath of his disappearance… but, her training is of the utmost importance."

The King cast a sorrowful look towards the door the two had gone through, before slowly giving the once-more-sitting Master his attention. "I sure hope they can talk it out-"

"The loss of Sora has been a devastation for all, but we must continue onwards to protect the worlds. Riku and Kairi are both powerful in their own regards, and we must make sure they are prepared for what is to come. Mickey," Yen Sid paused, his expression relaxed to show… sadness? Regret? Whatever crept into the Wizard's gaze sank away as he laid his open palm onto the cover of the book still before him. "I am afraid that I will require the services of you, and perhaps Donald and Goofy, if willing."

Mickey's eyes widened for a moment at the addition of his friends, but forced his shock back down in place of a simple nod. While not wielders of the keyblade, both Donald and Goofy had been loyal friends even before his kingship and had stayed by Sora's side for years now. Their knowledge of the worlds, much like the Sora under their watch, was unmatched. "O-okay, the fellas are waiting at the ship."

"To ask this of you is beyond a simple favour, old friend… but with only recent return of your fellow guardians and Riku's care to Kairi, I have found myself in need of your aid once more."

Mickey, noticing the strain of the other's expression, offering him a small smile. "Gosh, I suppose I have'ta. But I gotta go home first! Minnie, she… she deserves to know after all the hurt I caused her."

"Very well." Yen Sid smiled back, only to glance upward from his student at the sound of slightly-raised voices beyond the room, causing Mickey to leap to action. Casting a shared gaze, the King made the motion to follow Riku and Kairi. "Mickey, I only ask two things of you — to alert myself of any findings you may come across on your travels, and to take care of yourself… to send you into such unknown circumstances is something I would not do if not for utmost necessity."

"I understand." Mickey said after a moment, stepping away from his old Master with a respectful bow. Heading towards the door, he stopped, however. "Master… do you really think we shouldn't look for Sora?"

Yen Sid was silent for a moment. "I understand your confliction, my once apprentice… but much like Aqua, to chance others to find Sora could lead to others being lost. I realise the confusion and betrayal young Kairi and Master Riku must feel, but recognise that this new threat is something we _must_ be ready for."

The King blinking, watching the other with a firm expression before nodding. "Alright, I'll go talk to the others and then head out." With that, he opened the door with a creak, setting it closed after him.

Yen Sid watched on, releasing a sigh as the sound of footsteps quieted once more, listening out for the female voices that sounded like greetings a moment later. His dark eyes crept back down to the book on his desk, stroking his fingers over the binding before allowing it to open once more.

The old Master watched the page fly open, abruptly stopping on the last page.

"Perhaps one day, you all will realise that the greatest lights too cast the greatest shadows."

His thick brows set into an intent glare, scanning over the page as if was to come alive and whisper it's secrets to him. But the ink was set long ago, if his own Master's words were to believed, and their content assured over the centuries.

His heart ached at the sight that awaited him, the golden keyblade once inspiring much hope in his old age… but the loss of the keychain and wear of the blade the illustration was inspired upon left him certain.

"Sora," He uttered the words as if fearing the answer or meaning behind them. "What have you done?"

But the Kingdom Key offered no answers.

* * *

The weird portal that the Master had made sure they knew how to summon 'just in case' closed behind him with a woosh, slapping the ends of his robes of the backs of his legs. Gula glanced around the _totally-inconspicuous_, dark alleyway he had landed in only to find… well, a dark alleyway.

"Ugh." He groaned softly, looking around to see anything to allude to his location, maybe a handy sign or shop name? Nope, he had no such luck. "Great… just one thing after another, huh Master?"

To be fair, he couldn't blame the man. Well… he _could_, but what was the point of holding onto those sort of grudges? To watch Aced burst with anger, striding across that dusted wasteland once Luxu had told them all he knew.

It _had _been a long story.

But.

There was something off—facts that didn't add up, events that just didn't fit into one another as cleanly as he would've liked—and it irked him. He hadn't voiced these doubts, hadn't let his questions roll off his tongue like Ira had, or demanded a easy way around what they all knew must've amounted to far more years than possible for Luxu to experience.

They had been around the same age… Luxu had been a year younger than him and Ava last time they spoke! How was he a full grown man? Why had he dressed himself in a new name? A new face?

Questions, questions and even more questions crashed around in his head. A devastation of theories and ideas, concepts that didn't make sense or he could be sure enough of to say swam like a turbulent current.

And the Master.

Again.

There was something off about him… well, more than usual at least.

Then again… it had been what could be assumed over a thousand years since he last saw them. A little awkwardness was bound to show itself beneath all his bravo and snarky humour.

All he had wanted was for the man to pull out confetti, to shout "surprise! You all did great!" and to _go home_. But… they didn't. Instead, he told them a story of all things. One that you'd tell little kids at bedtime out of some moral obligation or something. Of princesses, far off places and epic battles that a child would babble about for weeks after the story finished and the book was closed.

When he had first given him their books… those stories had felt like fairy tales.

Except that they're story didn't have a happy ending. No matter how much Ava would wish for one whenever they talked about it, or how many times Ira would read over that page over, and over, and over as if one was just going to appear.

But looking around that totally-inconspicuous, dark alleyway… maybe Ava had been right. Maybe… maybe her wish _had _come through. But then, where was Ava?

"_She'll be fine, don't worry! You don't doubt her… do you?"_ The Master had replied once he gathered his words corrected, waiting for the moment to strike between Aced's spots of anger and Invi's quiet observation of the bizarre land they were in.

Of course he didn't. Ava was probably the most open-minded of all of them, if anyone could find the Master, if anyone could learn about whatever the heck was going on… _she _would.

But why hadn't see come?

Why had Luxu—or 'Xigbar', as he seemed more used to being called now—been convinced she wouldn't show? Had his new face crossed her path? Did she have a new face and name too? Both of them grown-up while he was left a child?

Did she not car-

A sudden call made the once-Leopardus Leader jump, instinct tightening his muscles as he immediately skimmed the dirty stones of the alley and shoved his back up against the wall just as a shape entered the corner of his eye.

A boy, who couldn't be much older than him, came to a stop at the opening of the alley. Dirty blond hair combed back messily, the teen scratched the back of his head as he turned on his heel towards the direction he had come from. "Guys, c'mon! Can't give 'em the luxury tour around if we miss their train!"

"Hayner, slow down!"

Gula blinked as another teenager—a girl, the same age as the boy—caught up to 'Hayner' with an irritated sigh. She was dressed in a similar fashion, both wearing a mixture of black and brighter colours that cast off in the golden sun Gula could catch through the buildings across from his hiding place. "I don't know why you're in such a hurry, they're not going anyway soon."

"That's what _you _think!" Hayner replied quickly, raising a finger in emphasis. "For all we know, they could just head straight to the mansion of their own! We gotta give them a good reason to stick around."

What Gula assumed to be the final teenager finally arrived with a pant of breath, leaning down against his knees to catch his breath. "C'mon, Roxas wouldn't do that… him and Xion seemed happy to stay here for a while."

"Give 'em the worse welcome ever by running into Seifer and his lot _alone_… then they'll be singing another tune!"

The trio continued to argue—or, at least Gula what assumed was arguing—before they soon left his sight once more in a rush, with Hayner sprinting off once more in hysterics over some shop selling… _sea-salt ice cream_?

Gula resisted the urge to swallow back the foul taste that threatened to lunge from the back of his throat at the name, seriously doubting the teenagers' sanity with their obsession of such an… unfortunate delicacy. That was what Ira had taught him to be 'putting it politely'... Aced had a much more crass word for it that his stomach couldn't handle.

Why did the Master want him to 'check out' _this _world? To make him sick? To make him regret not asking all those questions and deafening the man?

With a sigh, Gula wiped down the outside of his robes before quietly ducking his way out of the alleyway, wrinkling his nose at the smells that prove far stronger than anything Daybreak Town could offer.

The Master wanted him to check the place out, huh?

Okay then, two could play at that game.

What better way to get information other than asking the locals? And, even if he seriously questioned their diets… he knew _just _the kids to ask.


	6. A Wish Your Heart Makes

**A/N: I just wanted to apologise for the delay for this chapter, things have been hectic and I've been trying to get some study in. This chapter was a tough one since I wasn't sure how to let it go and the layout of it swapped a few times until I came to the way you see it now. I'm mostly happy with it, so who cares? **

**One thing I wanna say is that yes, I'm giving Kairi a new outfit that will be explained by her mindset in the next few chapters, along with Riku and his as well. I can only imagine some people will see him as OOC for not rushing to save Sora, but hopefully I can explain this adequately in his chapter coming soon. **

**I hope I did the MoM well - I'm trying out something different with how his sections are written in order to fit with his more childish but knowledgeable personality. He may be what some consider the first 'villain' of this fic but I also want to get across that he is still Sora and very much pulling a Sora move towards his reaction to events. Riku and Kairi's friendship will play a massive role in this story and how they didn't really interact in KH3. I hope I do them okay, I've never written them before this. **

**If you've any questions, comments or critics I'd love to hear them. I'm going to be going back through both AO3 and to answer comments/reviews and for those in (because I'm putting this on both sites) I may answer your questions at the end of the chapter so that people who have similar questions can get answers without having me answer them over and over.**

* * *

The breeze was pleasantly cool against the Master of Masters' skin as he meet the sight of the open meadow, casting a look around at the seemingly empty stretch of quiet fields that drew out as far as the eye could see. Letting his shoulders slump, the Master decided to take a look around. After all, what else was there to do? Unlike back in Daybreak Town, there was plenty to explore… without, y'know, eventually finding _everything _as the years went by.

"What to do." He pouted, letting his hands fall onto his lips as he ducked his head back to check out the clear skies overhead, the sight immediately making his lips curl. He grinned as he eventually turned in a complete circle, once more greeting the bottom of the hill with his growing smile. "What to do?!"

A laugh broke his lips at the sudden option of, well… everything!

Daybreak Town was a beautiful world, he couldn't deny it that, but… it was always the same. The same faces, same books, same maps, same hills and skies. He loved it dearly, but that was just it—nothing _ever _changed.

The excited man let out a laugh at the slip of his hood, flopping back into the crook of his neck. The bright rays were hot against his skin, his tan dulled throughout the years and the constant of his hood.

But, there was no need for a hood here.

No one to hide himself from.

No one to tell what to do.

No one to pretend for.

How long had it been since he could just stand and watch the sunset?

He paused for a moment.

How long had it been since he had _seen _a sunset?

A chuckle escaped his lips.

You didn't call a place 'Daybreak Town' for nothing!

He grinned at the thought, moving his hand behind his head to loosen his hood from the odd fold it had fallen into before rolling his arms outward and then behind his head. The leather of his sleeves burnt against his skin, but he only hummed at the sensation.

Without needing to put much thought into it, the Master began to walk. Each step was slow, a lazy slouch that let him linger at the dull buzz of the bees that surged about, the vibrant colours of flowers he didn't know the name of, and the chilling breeze that sent his coat trails flapping against his legs.

Everything was bright and new and alive! And… and he missed this.

The simple thrill of walking into a new place, wandering about for hours and learning every nook and cranny, every secret the different worlds held… just waiting for someone to stop and look at, to see the new in the locals' ordinary.

The Master allowed himself to take it all in as he may his way down the hill, tucking his hands into his pockets despite letting them swing with his steps a moment later. A smile plastered his face, the sun's gleam forbade any darkness from confronting that beautiful day.

For the first in a long, long time, he wouldn't think of what was to come.

The future could wait, he knew it lingered just like the clouds clinging to the horizon—but he didn't care.

Maybe he deserved one day to himself.

His students had their roles, everything was going as it should…

"I have some time." He said out-loud, knowing full well that he was the only soul for what felt like worlds away. He shrugged. He did have some time to mess around, to watch and see how the universe would react. Observing had been a skill he had to learn, to relish in those little things every now and again that made him smile. But now-

"They'll be fine." He swatted away the doubts that threatened his mood, waving them off like flies determined to get in his drink (for the third time that day, why did they never touch Ira's iced tea-!) or buzz right into your ear when your really wanted quiet.

Besides, he hadn't been to this world on any other adventure… so, as a Keyblade Master, it was in his _and _the residence of the world that he at least check it, right? Who knows what could happen? Yep, he'd better check out the town nearby once he got what he needed.

And if his sources were right, can't have a once-Princess Of Heart left without anyone to see if she was okay… even if the whole Maleficent plot-thing had been a year or two ago. This place hasn't seen a keyblade wielder in what? Thirteen years?

"Whelp, since duty calls!" He nodded to himself, as if to congratulate himself for… oh _who _was he meant to be kidding, he knew he was making reasons up! He was a master, he should be able to check out any world that needs him! "Not like Sid's gonna do it any time soon, and if the others are a busy as the kids say… guess it falls to little olde' me!"

Now certain of his excus- next move, the Master picked up his pace into a leisurely—but _definitely _dutiful—saunter of the hills. The surrounding green was lush and teeming with life, colour flora and sunlit canopy that soaked into the grass. He itched to lie against it, to rip of his coat and let the heat sink through his shirt- Nope, nope! He may be procrastinating but he did have little, itty-bitty time limit to follow.

He could maybe get a nap later, if Ira wasn't too eager to get his report (he had meant if anything happened, but knowing the kid he'd have it _daily _) checked and be all 'duly noted'.

The Master let a sigh escape, his lip curling nevertheless at the mere thought of his longest student's antics. Always thinking and thinking and thinking… maybe he should make Ira take a holiday after this was all over. Had Ira ever even seen a beach?

There would definitely be time for a trip home, in _that _case.

Continuing onward, the Master could slowly begin to see the hints of civilisation begin to poke its head up from nature's dominant grasp; a too perfectly cut tree trunk, old tools left less than a few days and yet dry in the sun… and yet, no people. Had the change in the timeline affected the worlds? Had he had more impact than he realised? What else had been the price of his actions? Had the people not returned once their world was saved from darkness? Why-

The Master jumped at the sound of… something. Voices?

Making his way through a patch of scattered trees along the gathering hillsides, he squinted to see two shaped rushing across the meadow, the long grass flung at the speed of what he quickly realised were two horses.

The sight of the two riders brought a smile to his face—they _were _okay.

He watched them for a few moments before sighing. They had found each other, they were happy… that was _one _princess safe, at least for now. But, that didn't mean he could wait and see at least to be sure.

With a sigh, he let himself fall back onto the hill and stretched his legs out in front of him. The couple danced around one another, their steeds galloped back and forth along the hills, letting their laughter ring out. The Master glanced around, surprise that the royal duet were allowed alone after everything that had happened, but more so surprised to spot a nearby mansion hidden far back down the hill across from his. Dirty fences encircled the estate, the house in a definite state of recent disrepair.

Meh, he wasn't here to spot real estate.

Letting his back rest against the warm blades beneath the sun, the Master listened to the laughter of the two echo out. And before he knew it, his eyes fluttered closed. He deserved a moment of quiet, the two would be okay for five minutes…

* * *

The day had soon faded into night—or what Kairi could only assume had been day, given the never-changing twilight beyond the Tower's walls—as the good fairies bid them farewell. Riku shuffled behind her, heaving her suitcase up the single flight of stairs towards their rooms, insisting on doing the heavy lifting. She hadn't fought with him over it, knowing his stubborn-streak ran just as deep as her and Sora's.

"Y'know, maybe we should visit them."

Kairi blinked, leaning back to cast a confused look at her friend. He looked back before pursing his lip into a small smile, "The other Princesses… or the _old _ones, at least. Since we're meant to focus on your powers especially, maybe they could give us some help?"

She hummed in compliance. "Yeah, _maybe _… would do any harm, they might have something useful."

The conversation quickly crept into silence once more as they continued on with their previous speed, both glancing at one another but neither working up the courage to break the fragile silence. The steps, similar to their trek up into the Tower, trailed alongside them at a snail's pace. The sounds of shoes hitting off the immaculate—and definitely magical—steps took over as they walked, and walked, and walked until finally reaching the landing.

It wasn't so much a long climb as it was an awkward one, Kairi supposed in thought as she led way into her room. Riku followed at her heel, pacing over to the simply made bed and laying the suitcase against its wooden frame with a sound.

The room was basic and yet extravagant at the same time; with a carved, wooden four-post bed like those she had seen in princess books of her childhood (and has _always _wanted as a result), a vanity dresser and desk. The beauty of the facilities didn't hide the fact that, given the necessity for it, this room probably hadn't existed a day beforehand.

"Nice place, it's not the islands but…" Riku added, as if hearing her thoughts. "at least we've got somewhere to rest."

"I guess."

Kairi could feel Riku's gaze shift over to her once more, his lip falling into a frown. "Kairi," He paused for a moment to recount his words. "About what happened with Yen Sid, I don't believe-"

"That Sora would use darkness? That he didn't possibly throw himself into who knows what sort of danger to save me? Just like _you _did?" She stopped as soon as the rushed words left her lips, blinking at her companion in expectancy of his reaction. She winched. "Riku, no. No, I'm sorry-"

He stopped her, letting his shoulders falter as he sat down on her bed. His arms leaned to rest his weight on his knees but he didn't look away. "You're right, don't be sorry." He shrugged his shoulders, offering her a broken smile. "I did use darkness to try to save you, I went too deep into the dark and… and nearly lost myself if not for you and Sora. But, after a while… I went beyond that. I was jealous, angry… swayed by Maleficent of all people."

Kairi's eyes clung to him as his own teal cast down to the floor, glaring at his boots. "Riku, it's not the same, I shouldn't have-"

"I worry for Sora not because I _doubt _him. I… I could never doubt him, but I remember what that felt like. The… the loneliness, the desperation… I don't want either of you to make the same mistake I did."

Kairi smiled awkwardly, "Would it be cocky to mention that I _technically _can't?"

"S-shut up!" Riku laughed quietly, giving her a look of mocking disbelief before rolling his eyes. "I'm trying to Sora here!"

His previous look was quickly mirrored back at him. "You… 'Sora'-ed? You made him a verb?"

"It worked… didn't it?"

Both allowed the silence to be swallowed with their laughter, with Riku shifting aside to allow Kairi to collapse beside him. She let herself fall back with a chuckle, stretching her back out like a cat bathing in the sun.

Kairi arched a brow back up to him after a moment or two, flattening her arm across her forehead. "Y'know… I think Sora would like that."

"Huh?" Riku twisted back to face her. "What?"

"To be a verb… he'd like it, I think. Making us laugh, even when he's…"

"Kairi." He sighed, furrowing his brows as he let her rise to a sitting position. "We… I miss him too, but Master Yen Sid-"

Her reaction, he was certain a moment after he spoke, was immediate. "I… I don't care what Master Yen Sid said!" She all-but shouted back, barely keeping her voice restrain before turning back away from him with a clenched jaw. Kairi stole a breath. "Sora did everything he could to save us - he changed time! He _died _! And you think leaving him to prepare me for this new threat is worth it?"

"Sora would."

Both watched one another before Kairi stood to her feet, without a word stepping away from Riku who opened his mouth to speak, but closed it once more with a winch. "Kairi-"

"Look, I'm… I'm tired, okay? We…" Riku watched her sigh before forcing the corners of her mouth to curl. "We should rest for tomorrow."

Riku could feel the mood shift between them, immediately mourning her once smile as he watched over his friend. Her shoulders tensed, stepping over to inspect her suitcase—to not have to look at _him _— without another word. Kairi wasn't Sora; he couldn't just expect her to jump back like their missing friend did, eager to simply push conflict away. Kairi was… well, _Kairi _. All that light didn't hide the stubborn anger that lingered in her heart, all the thoughts and emotions she must've felt during the lost year. She had been left behind, how was she supposed to know how to act when she had never been given the chance to learn?

"Okay." He noted the shift of her eye, barely passing off as hidden behind her bangs as he rose from the bed. "Get some sleep, training will be tough…" He made his way to the door in silence, watching the shorter girl shift subtly but fail to remove herself from her false admiration of the suitcase. She hadn't even opened it yet… would she try it on tomorrow?

Kairi tapped her fingers along the dark leather, skimming the bumps of it with her fingers. "Night."

"We will find him." She heard Riku state once more as the door creaked open, his boots thumping off the marble with a dull sound before lingering in his departure. "I promise."

She didn't reply, but listened as the door slowly shut behind him. She knew how Riku would linger, would listen for the sound of her heart finally breaking, finally shattering under the strain of… well, everything. Being brought into a battle alongside people with triple the amount of training—if you could even call it that— and it had taken less than five minutes for her to be destroyed by the likes of the organisation, nevermind Xemnas… hadn't he thrown skyscrapers at Sora? How was she supposed to fight against that sort of power?! She only knew a few basic spells!

She knew what Riku, what everyone, expected of her… not that she could blame them.

She hadn't been strong enough, she failed to help the guardians besides filling a space, and even then she had been the pawn used to fuel Sora's anger! How could he have seen her as a possible equal trade? Why… why did he think she was worth dying for—_ twice _.

Did becoming a heartless count? It surely felt like from her perspective, promising herself to never see Sora fade away like that again.

Good lot of luck promises did. All they did was...was get broken. Again and again.

That was why she couldn't do it. She couldn't leave him alone, just as he had sworn for her. He deserved to be happy, to be surrounded by others who could understand the strain of everything… even if he didn't think he let it show. Seeing his eyes when the 'Demon Tsunami', or whatever they had called it, stole them away… it had hurt more than the darkness, more than Xehanort piercing her heart and feeling her light—her being—shatter out into the worlds. Every second had been agony, to sense the struggle he was under, gathering their numbers back together, plunging his heart deeper and deeper.

Not for another second.

As if spurred on by the memory, Kairi lunged into the suitcase, snapping open the lock without any care for delicacy. She checked the contents, spreading the material between her fingers before nodding and closing it once more. Things had to change.

She had to change—Sora needed her.

She knew what she needed to do, but how-

The star shard.

Before the battle, Aqua had told them stories of her adventure while Ven chuckled at her side, both smiling longingly at the mention of their missing piece. She hadn't spent much time with Terra, but his kind smile had instantly disregarded any premature notions of Xemnas from her mind. He was hurting, but he understood how Xehanort could hurt a heart. Apologies, condolences… she could feel the light of his heart.

Mickey had used such a device—magic? Phenomenon?— during his training. He had 'willed' himself to wherever his heart, or the light, needed him to be.

She could only hope it still worked.

And if she couldn't use it? There was a Gummi ship outside… and she saw where Donald had left the keys, after all a Keyblade could open any lock… she had no reason to assume it could start an engine.

"I'm sorry, Riku…" She muttered, getting to her feet and gazing out of the window. The surrounding starry skies did sway her from the emptiness of their light, the cozy atmosphere that hide their lack of action.

How could she follow the orders of a man who stepped aside and let Aqua remain trapped for over a decade? Who never once gave Riku or Sora help in taming their darkness, in conquering their fears?

How could she believe in someone who would let children wage a war?

With a sigh, she turned away from the window, casting a final look at her suitcase before lifting in one hand. Master Yen Sid had told them to listen to their hearts, to let them lead their way… and she would.

Letting her hand graze over her chest, it hovered over her heart before she clenched the material of her heart. The light was like waves, crashing against the shore and threatening a storm—she could feel Sora… in _some _way.

Her eyes opened, her brows furrowed in determination. "I'm bringing him home…" She knew where he was, she could feel the fellow light through the haze of distance. "-no matter what."

It wasn't long before she left the tower, shutting the door without a sound, the keys of the Gummi Ship retrieved from Donald's jacket, left to hang in wait of the Good Fairies care.

She wasn't afraid, she knew exactly where to go… her heart would be her guiding key.

* * *

Sleep, as he had hoped to be proven wrong, did not come easy. Twisting his back on the uneven ground, the Master rose to a sitting position once more amongst the flowers.

Of course he couldn't sleep, he blinked as he pursed his lips into a line. Hey, he didn't even want a nap anyways! The attempt of a smile fell apart, leaving him to pick the stray pieces of grass from his hair as he let himself sit in silence.

After so many bad experiences with it, he couldn't be surprised that his once childhood hobby of daily naps collapsed into a mere annoyance as he got older. When had it gone from a light snooze in the sand, feeling the warmth of the sun radiating onto his skin… to waking up in a light sweat in the earliest of morning, a broken name on his lips that tasted wet and of salt? When had he last felt sand? Felt the hot sun beat down onto him, cooled by the clear waves and chill fountain that always tasted of light…

No—the Master shook those thoughts away. He couldn't… wouldn't go down that hole again, he had a role to play and people to lead. That time was long gone… that life had been lost in the war.

He glanced down at his hands, watching the unconscious motion of them as they rubbed a blade of grass between his finger, plucking little flowers and tying them together. A smile graced his lips. How long had it been since he had made one of these? Kairi had always brought some from her adoptive parents' garden, claiming they sparked some sort of memory from her past. She had grown up in Radiant Garden—_ figures _, he snorted at the thought, continuing to tangle the flowers together into an intricate ring. Too small for his _fat _head, he rolled his eyes at the thought, pacing the growing 'crown' between his hands, investigating it with his usual verve.

He had never been good at anything that required any sort of patience or delicacy as a kid—aside from maybe _baking _, but that always with his mom who surely fixed any mistakes to boost his confidence with Riku constantly one-upping him… Riku couldn't bake for his life—but Kairi had insisted he learn her 'trade'.

His smile, humming a short tune he knew from somewhere but couldn't place as he soon came to the end of his craft, plucking his last few flowers and adding them until only one remained. His hand patted down in a torpid motion, relishing in the peace of the world… only to find his eyes snapping over at the peculiar sensation that meets his hand.

He picked the weed up between two fingers, twirling it with a chary look, tossing it away a moment later. The seeds exploded on impact, captured by the wind against the exposed hill and carried away before he could blink.

Ava… she had always dragged him to inspect her little flower garden, hidden away from Aced's clumsy temper or the others' unintended critical eye. _"Our secret!"_ She whispered not-so-quietly, smiling _so _wide with those bright eyes-

"Okay… break's over!" The Master exclaimed with a sigh, rising once more to his feet but not having the heart to discard the crown, admiring it once more with a twist of his hands before laying it down where he had been sitting. He didn't have the time for that sorta nostalgia or… thoughts right now, he's got a job to do! Nope, he'll just tuck those away for now. He already had Gula's palpable glares that burnt through the back of his skull, nevermind Aced's deafening roars to worry about… can't just hand his head the bat and say 'hey! Wack the master pinata! Go on, make 'em pop!'.

He's too close now, no distractions… not even those irritating memories that can't help put make a show at the littlest thing.

The Master stepped away from the flowers, tapping his hand off his hip while letting the other wipe down his face. The urge to laugh didn't hide the fire in his chest, the ache that told him his students were right… but Ava had to wait.

Beginning his descent down the other side of the hill, the Master felt a shiver run through at the feeling of… something off. Nothing, his thoughts countered on instinct, stick to the plan! He could feel the stirr of magic off in the forest, the light cascading outward in celebration of true love.

The thought almost brought his smile back, but his hood instead rose back up to cover his features. Checking over himself, he instead went on his way with a sway of his hips. There was so much to do before his friends got there, after all… can't have Kairi arriving in a world _way _out of her league, now can he?

But he had hopes for this one, it was the one, he knew it. Returned from the darkness like their home? Check. Full of people who, from what he could tell, the majority of celebrated the light and so would be more friendly to someone like their own Princess? Check. Already visited by keybladers in the past? Check, check… checkity-check-check!

It was perfect! The Master made a sound of resign at the thought of his possible jinx, but shoved the thought away. That was why he was there first, after all. Aqua had said the place was lively, plenty of people and life whose light could surely help a princess of it! He grinned, "Castle of Dreams… here I come."

The Master, much like his jinx, also chose to ignore the chance of a mob forming at the sight of his… _attire_. Hey, gotta' look on the positive… right?


	7. What Is Lost And To Be Found

A/N: **I am incredibly sorry for how long this chapter has been in production. I finished my final exams over a week ago and failed to get past the first part of this both out of exhaustion and confusion as to how I want to handle Lea and Isa's relationship. While I do ship them, I do not want any singular ship to take the spotlight of this fic and to, instead, be sprinkled in across it and suggested across the story. These two are really interesting characters, along with Aced, who I want to give the justice they deserve and develop how I perceive them.**

**Now, however, I have all the time in the world to continue this fic and I have already planned far in advance exactly how I want chapters to go and feel, so this should speed up the chapters' releases. I will try to add hint across the chapters as to what Disney worlds will be included and I have a question for many about whether or not 10 Disney worlds is overkill. While I will not include every Disney movie under the sun, I am including my favourites who fit with the message I am trying to tell. But to note, I will not be including any Disney TV shows that are standalone and do not connect to a movie(s). So no Gravity Falls or Star Vs The Forces of Evil, I am sad to say for any fans of those, I just personally don't think they work but I don't hate those who enjoy including them.**

**So, to finish this ridiculously long note, I will try to make a proper release schedule for these chapters and have a basic amount I am aiming for. But as I am planning these in advance, I question whether as sections get longer I should do as I have been doing before this and split them between two characters such as how this one follows Lea and then jumps to Aced, or whether people would prefer chapters that are shorter but only include one character to make things shorter?**

**I hope you enjoy and please comment if you want to ask something or just say something (although please be gentle I am weak) and I will try to answer if I can! Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

Streetlights gleamed and flickered, casting out their olive glow along the cracked and worn cobblestone of the town square. The dirt strewn between the stone carvings and impurities was still soft to touch from the freshly-dug flowerbeds and clay pots that laid about the square. The slap of the fountain water, bouncing off the rippling pool of the grand fountains, was the only sound across the town. That was, until the deep groan of metal and flutter of wind sent the shivering petals flying as the hull of the yellow-bodied ship jittered in the air, descending unsteadily into the walls of the main plaza. The hull snapped open with a jolt, the landing gear shook as it extended outward and pressed into the cobble with the ship's weight following suit.

The silver glow of the moon was laced with stained clouds as the driver, giving the levers of the ship a well-hearted slap, brushed back the mess of red spiky hair that had fallen into his eyes in the heat of his concentration. Letting the stress of his shoulders relax, Lea stretched with a sigh. Another, but more so slower yawn followed a moment later as his weight rested into the supple material. Long legs stretched outwards from his seat and to the sides of the console to avoid colliding with the controls.

He hadn't had time to ask Donald to adjust the seating to match his lanky form, forcing to suffer the uncomfortable consequences for the entire journey both to the Land of Departure (which, mind you, was awfully far from Destiny Islands when the circulation of your legs failed within minutes!) and then to Radiant Garden itself. While Terra, who seemed a fair chum-ier man than the dear old superior who shared his face, had offered to take the wheel after dropping Roxas and Xion off in Twilight Town at the mercy of Hayner and the Gang, Lea digressed. Terra, while not to the extent of Aeleus, was far larger than Lea himself and had no hope of fitting into a seat designed for a hot-headed duck, docile knight or fifteen-year-old kid. Explaining that politely however... was not as awkward as being forced to talk to the mirror of a person who threw around the threat of eternity as a dusk. But still awkward nevertheless.  
"And here I thought you'd be eager to get to work," A sullen voice rose from Lea's side, turning his head to greet the sight of Isa. The solemn man arched a brow, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the still-sitting Lea.

"Hey! Cut me some slack, I'm tired!" But the irritation in the red-head's voice was ill-given as he flashed the other a toothy grin moments after, letting out a chuckle before brushing the space between his upper-lip and nose with a finger. "But hey, glad to see you're still in a chatty mood." Isa pressed his lips into a line, scowling down at the other man in the fashion of a parent rather than a friend. The trip from Destiny Islands had been filled with patches of exhausted silence, allowing the hum of the engine to pass through any quiet between the snippets of conversation Aqua made with Lea.  
Isa noted his oldest friend's words, but said nothing, instead leaning aside to gaze out the surrounding wide windows of the Gummi ship's cockpit. The open square outside was laced with worn, grey stone slabs darkened by the scent of rain in the air, the looming castle that rose up from a fleet of high steps brought a twinge to Isa's otherwise impenetrable façade, something that Lea cocked a brow at. The blue-haired man hummed, his face falling back into its composed routine.

"Isa?" Lea made a move to speak, but paused at the hardened look behind his friend's eyes. As if feeling the tension spike through the other Isa blinked and settling the harshness of his brow, Lea still at the mere fantasy of a glisten of gold following suit. Lea shook those thoughts away, instead flashing a grin to the other. The part of Xehanort had been destroyed with Saix — besides Isa was his friend for Pete's sake! — and the other had even sought him out upon waking up.

"Come on!" The red-head commanded instead, slapping the other good-heartedly on the back before bracing his arm around his shoulder to pull him closer without any protest, letting out a chuckle. "Best get going, the sooner we get there-"

"The sooner we can find your friend?"

Both men turned to see Namine, her clear features wrinkled with a smile as she wrung her hands together, swinging them back and forth over her abdomen. She met Lea's pleased expression, giggling softly as she staged a playful twirl, continuing to glow at the duo. "So... you guys ready to find her?"  
"Certainly. Our search has gone cold for far too long." Isa added, moving from Lea's side to flick the switch of the Gummi Ship's door, staring out as light glared into the otherwise shaded interior. He gave Namine a sure nod, allowing her through the door without a world before letting Lea do the same a moment later. The other man gave a snigger, rewarding Isa with an exaggerated courtesy before strolling down the short ramp that had extended from the ship's hull upon the door opening.

"Well, guess that means we've got a lot of work to then!" Namine cupped her hands together, swinging them back and forth as Lea patted her head. While their previous interactions weren't as strained as his past with Kairi, he had made it his mission to treat her with the respect and affection she had never gotten in Castle Oblivion. She was quiet-spoken and nurturing, while similar to Kairi in many ways, it was true that her and Roxas were in no way copies of their somebodies — if dueling with a tired Kairi had shown him anything.

Isa gave a sigh before gazing ahead, drawing their attention to the looming castle beyond the limits of the town. The façade of the tower cast a shadow along the town, the setting sun that had greeted them on Destiny Islands was ever rising behind the massive structure, letting light pass through the massive wings cast out either side.

Blinking to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun, Lea pursed his lips at the face of the castle, glaring up at the peak of the building and the collection of towers and balconies that grew out of it. Just like Castle Oblivion, he thought to himself, before turning his attention back to his companions as they began their walk to the castle. The town beyond was quiet; the calm of early morning crept in as the sun peeked over the hills, setting the knitted streets aglow as people set out. Shop owners pried their stalls from storage after the long spill of rain the night before, windows left agape to air and the people soon to fill the streets rose from their sleep. Making their way through the open square, passed the gated arch and up the staircase, Lea pushed down the sensation that ran through him at the sight of the two guards standing at the doorway.

Stopping, the trio met the gaze of Dilan and Aeleus, both of him stood in silence with assured brows before allowing the tension to shimmer as they greeted Namine with united smiles. Hardheads got a soft spot, Lea acknowledged with a smirk towards the two guards, ignoring the looks that bounced back in return. Continuing forward through the entrance and foyer, the small group began their trek through the castle without much conversation other than slivers between Dilan, Aeleus and Namine.

Small talk lulled Lea away to his thoughts, to the soreness of his limbs courtesy of Xemnas and the craving for something cold but sweet. Isa had called it an addiction, but he preferred 'catching up for lost time'. He'd have to talk to Namine after her coming to stay with them in Twilight Town sometime, but snapped away from that thought at the sound of his name in the air.

"Huh?" He called out bluntly, blinking as he faced the snigger of Namine as she turned her head back towards Aeleus. The mountain of a man gave him a look over, but didn't go any further than letting his lip curl. "Hey! What?"

"You look tired!" Namine stated as if that revealed all, her smile piercing her cheeks with wrinkles as she ducked her head away bashfully. Lea scoffed, rolling his eyes after finding Isa silent on the matter. Darting back and forth between the three, the once-Assassin let out a sigh before stuffing his hands into his pockets. His lip folded into a pout, loosening another giggle from Namine as she peeked another look at him. His irritation melted. A moment passed before Lea chuckled, loosening his shoulders. Seeing the once shy and quiet girl laugh — even if it was at his expense — was worth it.

"This is the research section of the Castle." Dilan stated, his unwavering tone brought the two to attention as his raised his hand to his left side, "Should you need, we have prepared guest rooms since the majority of the Castle remains unused down this hall," he then gestured to his right side in accordance. "Myself and Aeleus will be doing patrols throughout the day, so if you need anything either Ienzo or Even will facilitate you."

Lea nodded along, raising a brow. "Wow," he exclaimed with an exaggerated gesture of hands. "-five star treatment."

"Well, Ax—_Lea_— I am glad to see that your battle against Xemnas hasn't hurt that spirit of yours." The group turn in response to a soft, clear voice sounding out behind them. The latter grasped his hips, stepping aside to face Ienzo who made his way down the hall. His heeled boots clicked off the marble flooring, a hand reaching up to fix his fringe that curtained the majority of the side of his face. "As Dilan already said, you are all free to stay here as long as you please."

Before he could comment, Isa stepped ahead of Lea. "Thank you, I assure you that we will try our best to not interrupt your work here."

"It is the least we can do since-" Whatever the younger man was going to say was abandoned, instead forcing a smile towards Isa before turning to lead them further. "... this way." Dismissing Dilan and Aeleus with a nod, Ienzo led them back down the hallway with Namine at his side.

The trio continued forward, conversation becoming more common as they continued through the long passages that grew out into the deeper levels of the castle, branching outwards into those used by the Restoration Committee. Given the stable building of the castle when compared to the feeble houses of the town, many of the supplies accumulated there. With the period of calm allowing the townspeople a chance to rebuild and gather together without fear of the heartless attacking and destroying it all a moment later, the Restoration Committee—according to Ienzo— had taken full control of providing resources for construction and refugee for their people.

"Ansem the Wise has chosen to forgo any offer of leadership by the people." Ienzo added, his expression straightened but shoulders hunched, his posture conflicting to remain perfect. "Leon has been offered to be the designated leader, but according to him that role should belong to the people as a whole and not a singular person."

Lea blended in and out of the conversation, his attention drawn away by every familiar corner or hazy memory of his short time in the castle. In over a decade, nothing had changed… but then again, the world outside was nearly completely new. Was the comfort of familiarity bad? Did he want to remember his childhood home, or instead create new memories of his home—his family—now? Did he want to forget Lea and remain Axel? Had he ever truly become that somebody again, or simply added those memories into a mind far younger than he felt? To live two lives, to be two people… Axel would never be as distant as Roxas was Sora, nor Namine to Kairi, but did that mean he and Lea were really one in the same?

"Lea."

Glancing to his side, he met the gleam of emerald eyes staring at him. Isa didn't look away, didn't try to hide the concern that slipped past his broody facade. Even as children, both read each other like dusty books on a shelf. "Yeah?"

"You zoned out again."

"It's…" What? What could he say to the man who knew his mind as well as his own? "-nothing. It's nothing, guess I'm just tired is all." For extra effect, he rubbed his hand over his face, momentarily startled by the sensation of bear skin. The black coat was gone, the gloves and protective material that had been more him that his rebuild body, locked away in a trunk for his personal belongings… they were all he had.

Isa watched him for a moment, knowing bright eyes peering into him and leaving him feeling bare. His mouth fit into a line, "Alright."

Lea blinked, but didn't protest the other's… acceptance? Instead, he nodded towards the other, noting how his eyes remained fixed on him in thought. It certainly wasn't the first time his friend had concerns, and it wouldn't be the last time he'd voiced them. All he would do was embrace the peace will it lasted. They had all the time in the world now, there was no need to rush.

"Gentlemen? Shall we wait?" He heard Ienzo calling out before him, causing the two men to pry their attention from one another and towards the scientist and Namine who lingered a few feet away, Ienzo's hand holding the door panel open with curious eyes.

"No." Isa said plainly, stepping away from Lea as if he was truly fire incarnate. "Pardon the wait." He added, flashing his friend a look before continuing onwards, his deadpan expression motivation enough for Ienzo to continue on.

Lea nodded softly, his gaze dropped to the floor as he followed. "Let's get going," he murmured, the words barely passing his lips and yet catching the look Namine gave him, her wide eyes shining in the old lights that hadn't been changed over the last decade. He didn't speak to her, instead brushing a hand over her shoulder to gesture her forward. Namine didn't speak, instead pursing her lips before letting him guide her after the others.

The brisk walk that followed was silent, the hum of machinery the only sound to be heard grew louder and louder until they came to a halt before a familiar wooden door. Ienzo brushed his knuckles off the body of the door, pausing until he heard a mutter of acknowledgement from the otherside before pushing the door open and leading the trio into the familiar office space. The clutter strewn across the marble floor was long tidied away, the bookcases drawn around the circular shape of the walls organised and the broken jars and containers brushed away with replacements already in place. A figure in a lab coat, much like Ienzo, faced away from them before stopping their search through the bookcase located behind the desk in the centre of the room. Blonde hair flooded down his back, with the parting branching two equally long bunches of hair down his temples and reaching his collar.

"Even." Ienzo addressed the other without much emotion, as if to alert the other like one would a young child when they did something wrong. "Lea and Isa have arrived with-"

The other man silenced him with a wave of his hand, his shoulders hunching as he knelt on the ground, still failing to face the group and instead continuing his search. "Yes, yes, terribly sorry but I have no time for pleasantries. Given your reasoning for coming here, Ansem had asked of me to prepare everything we can find that belonged to Xehanort in order to… make it _easier _for you to get what you need." He scowled at the thought, pausing for a moment to glance back at them. "Let me tell you that it has not been an 'easy' task nevertheless and so corporation is a necessity."

The blond man said no more, instead sinking into muttering under his breath while Ienzo simply let out a sigh, turning back towards them and gesturing them instead towards the passage still baring it's wires and panels to see. The electronics' lights pierced through the darkness of the open space, one Lea was sure hadn't been open the last time he had been there… but then again, his mind hadn't exactly been fully together at that point. Memories of two lives pulsing through his head, sorting through everything while questioning whether or not the man who now didn't even spare them a second glance would reawake… could anyone really blame him?

"This way." Ienzo added after a moment of silence, strolling into the shadowy passage that clicked with every step. "Ansem requested to speak to you before we begin our analysis."

Lea watched Isa and Namine follow him without a word, failing to notice his pause as he gazed around the room. He had reawoken only a month or two ago… and yet it felt like a century since he had stirred with his first thought being his lost friend. He hadn't begun to remember Xion until his training with Kairi and yet… even then, his heart ached to reclaim what was taken from him. Having a heart was exhausting, it pulled and yanked at every little thing, piercing into you like a blade or making you flinch like a bold flame.

But now, he was going to find the last piece that was stolen so long ago… would that make him feel whole? Feel like _Lea _again? Maybe. Maybe one day he could look at Kairi, who was so much like Xion and yet not, and not ache when she called him Lea once again. Maybe he could reclaim that name, feel like it fitted properly instead of like a child playing in their parent's closet.

Stealing a breath, Lea followed his friends. There was still two friends left to save and he would not disappoint.

* * *

Aced grumbled as he slapped another palm leaf from his path. He shulked into the shadows at the sight of what he could only assume to be people, watching for a moment only to find nothing out of the ordinary… or whatever the hell was ordinary anymore. He shivered, wiping the droplets that fell from the canopy above off his robes. They were surely going to stink of that forsaken jungle for weeks!

"This is a fool's errand…" He muttered to himself despite his isolation, biting into the skin of his lip as he continued on. The leaves of the mountainous trees that encased his route along the outskirts of the city were damp, with the thunderous falls echoing out across the caverns that laced across the land. "And yet… I _obey_." His words broke into a sigh, pausing through his lips as his shoulders slumped.

After everything; the deceit, betrayal and blood spilt between them… the Master had brought them all together as if to chat over tea, his careless words of fantastical battles and the forces of darkness and light clashing once more did nothing to sooth his anger.

The man had abandoned them, had left them to fall apart while he ventured off in accordance to his vanishing act… and yet he obey his command.

And yet he was here, swearing at mosquitos and yearning for the warm cobble of the yard they had trained in as children; of those happy times and when Ira had been able to look him in the eye. When Ava had been by their side and Luxu was still an innocent boy.

Their Master didn't care.

He brushed their concerns into the wind and instead laid out his plans, his _roles_ for them of all things! Damn the roles! Damn the Master and all his cleverly spun words, his dips of humour and dramatics! Damn the stories Luxu spun and how much he resembled the man he had once respected!

How old must the Master be, if Luxu has lived centuries and began to mimic his traits like one does on a stage? How long has he played them? Planned their war? Their hurt and loss and… his stupidity.

Wiping his eyes, Aced stomped ahead and ignored the squelch and slap of his boots, the mud that tarnished the ends of his robes, the pounding of his chest. His heart yanked and pulled, tearing itself apart as he swallowed that moist air, feeling the sweat dripping down his temples and sticking his mask to his face.

What of the Master's mask? His prideful deceit of them, of their desires and dreams to achieve… to achieve what? A war? For what? Questions crashed against his skull, pounding and pounding like the fateful drums of battle, the sinking of smaller feet into mud as they charged to their deaths.

As he led them to their deaths.

Aced choked a breath, gritted his teeth and grasping his hood with his nails, threatening to tear the material apart. A whine escaped his lips before he released, knocking a fist against the nearest tree and ignore the twinge of pain that ache afterwards.

But he couldn't let the darkness in… no, _wouldn't_ let it win this battle.

His Master's words sank into his mind, seeping deep into the waters of his thoughts and yanking out the squirming, half-forms inklings that appeared. Ira had always been the smarter of them, the strategy, the analytics and marvelous ideas that bounced off Invi's neutral set. He had never fit into their puzzles, their readings and equations and charts… he had never been a leader like the Master wanted.

Aced pushed a branch away, swiping another clean off with his keyblade, watching the energy of his blade. He was strength, was the support against the storm, the footing the others could leap from… of course he wasn't meant to lead.

Perhaps the Master was right.

Aced swallowed back the lump in his throat, pushing on ahead. He had nothing but that role, to find the ones their Master 'knew' he'd be capable of picking out. Perhaps they just wanted him far out of the way where no damage could be done, where he could hide from those masked savages without a word. He was no Invi, be it his height or temper, but stealth had never been a passion of his. The people of this world were primed for attack, for something that was coming… he did not know what nor if he was enough to face it.

But he had something. That was enough… he would be enough.

To redeem himself, to carry out his role… he could only hope.


	8. A Helping Hand

**A/N: This chapter is waayyyy overdue to be published here given its been on AOE since August. This was a mistake as I've been busy with college and didn't realise until I came home this weekend that I failed to put it up here on . So, I would like to apologise and add that the next chapter should be coming either tomorrow or the next day and I am spending all my free time trying to get it done. So without further ado, enjoy. And to those who undrstand who these new characters are and where they're from, kudos to you!**

The soles of Sora's shoes slapped off the abundance of puddles that continued to grow and stretch out across the dim streets, the labyrinthine city widening as the streets branched out from narrow alleys and hidden nooks into more spacious plazas and roads. The rain had died as a drizzle, allowing the sixteen-year-old to tear off his hood, the fabric drenched and sticking to his face.

_It keeps me dry… can't complain. _Sora reminded himself as he forced the tension from his brows, rolling his shoulders against the hampering fabric of his jacket.

His arms swung by his sides, trying to keep his joints limber while continuing to glance around the city. Despite the abundance of cars and buildings… it was empty. No people, Heartless, Nobodies... what if Xigbar had been right?

"No." Sora snapped, the chill of the night air and his damp clothes enough to make his teeth chatter, gritting them together stubborn. "I'm not…" But the resilience in his voice quivered, for even a moment as he came to a sudden halt, prying his risen foot away from the puddle before him. He gazed into it - the other him simply stared back.

Alone.

For the first time since… since he had lost everyone, he was alone.

But, this was _different _.

He was dead. There was no mistake… he had paid the 'price' the younger Xehanort had warned him about, he had saved everyone… and he had paid for it with his _life _. And now he was dead like Xigbar. Xigbar had thrown himself from that cliff, that part of Xehanort twitching and contorted, riddled with such darkness as it flew up into the sky like all the others.

But why _had _Xigbar 'died'? Why hadn't he been completed like all the others were meant to have been? Like Lea and Ienzo had been? Had his somebody been a vessel? Had he, much like Xemnas, been able to use a keyblade when whole but lost it once a nobody - was Xigbar really capable to use a keyblade.

Well, look where wanting one got him.

In a dead city… making fun of a dead kid.

_" _Jeez, that guy _needs _a hobby _." _Sora joked, letting out a quiet chuckle. But the warmth in his chest over the jape faded quickly as he stood in silence, listening to the droplets falling leaking from gutters far too high for him to see.

As this silence sank into Sora and he let his eyes close to marvel at the peace. His face rose up to bask in the light of the ever-present moon, only for a shrill noise to capture his attention. Eyes snapping open, Sora jerked to action, only for the cool touch of the keyblade's handle to once more fail to solidify in his grasp. The sound rang out again. Louder. Louder. Louder. A girl. A barked order dragged Sora from his stupor, shrugging away his keyblade's disobedience and instead forcing his calm step into a run. His hands skimmed off the smooth surface of the buildings he passed, using it to deflect himself from slamming into it and sprinting down an alley. And then another, and another. The city streets tangled together, confusing him and leaving him lost if not for the growing sounds. The girl's voice re-verbed off the narrow streets, shrill in volume but with strength behind them. She was fighting… something? Those sounds were lower, mere grunts… a man?

"Come on… _where?! _" Sora growled to himself, rushing out of a dead-end as the puddles that had gathered smacked off his shoes, his hoarse breathing pounding in his ears. Backtracking, Sora gasped as he found his way to an eventual clearing in the buildings. A large square, with marble steps and an opening surrounding a fountain, lured him inside.

Rushing up the steps, Sora came to a halt as he saw a woman be thrown across the washed stones and land in a heap at the foot of the fountain. With a grunt, a large man leapt down from one of the higher layers of the opening. A smug grin stretched his lips, violet eyes glaring at the girl with venom.

He didn't seem to notice Sora.

"A pity, given how a worthy opponent your sister was… you, however, are just a girl.", jeered the strange man, tightening his grip on his sword, the blade reminding Sora of Riku's 'Soul Eater', if not for the purple hue that coloured it and the eye-shaped crystal sitting in its hilt.

An eye in a sword? Like Master Xehanort's keyblade? Why would anyone put an eye in a keyblade?

The fallen woman, who seemed slightly older than Sora, staggered to her feet, the quiver of her shoulders as she raised her—_ bow _?—to aim at the man sparked a sense of pain in Sora. But he didn't move, intrigue and the opportunity to hear what the man was on about before acting rising in him. He had to be smart, even if the woman was in danger, and only intervene if he had to… he couldn't summon his keyblade. But, why were dead people fighting? What was the point?

"That…" The girl coughed, her slender brows furrowed into a dark glare at the man, as she struggled to keep her footing. "-didn't stop us from beating you!"

The purple-haired man simply chuckled, his mouth pressed into a demented grin. "Ah, yes… but now you have neither your sister nor Noel to shield you!" With a sudden burst of rage, the man's grin snarled as he lunged forward with his weapon. The girl pried her quiver back to slow him, but the man only smacked the girl's bow away and sent it flying across the plaza. The power and speed of the attack sent the girl back as well, launching her back into the fountain with a scream.

Without thought, Sora lunged forward beyond his cover and into the open space. Safety be damned, the woman was defenceless! Ducking as he sprawled out onto his belly, he grasped ahold of the bow, losing precious seconds however as he tried to match the girl's previous action. The bow's string stung his fingers, the arrow caught in it pried back as Sora pulled it back towards his breast, angling it as he kneeled, the sound of his shoes catching the puddle alerting the man. He snapped back, his large sword hanging over the girl before he could take the fateful blow, his eyes widened in confusion as he met the sight of Sora. "A boy…?" His features, however we not of anger, but confusion and… _ fear _? "Blue _eyes… _?"

The arrow was shot before he got the chance to finish. The power behind cut through the distance in less than a second and soared into the man's back, the veins in his neck bulged as he roared in pain and scrambled to catch it before electricity flew from the arrow and through him. A garbled howl followed, sending the man flying back onto the damp cobble, contorting and twitching in agony.

Looking up with a grimace, Sora met the sight of the girl who scrambled to her feet without delay, staring at him before rushing forward and leaping down from the fountain despite the winch of pain that cut through her otherwise beautiful features. Her long, pink hair smacked off her shoulder in wet tangles, her bare shoulders and legs prickled with goosebumps much like Sora.

"Hurry!" She cried, grabbing ahold of Sora's hand and leading him behind her into a sprint.

Sora nodded, casting a final look back at the man, the electricity crippling him growing weaker as it flooded his system, leaving him a shrivelling mess. His hooded eyes were shielded by the intricate feathers that were intertwined in his hair, growling at Sora as the woman led him away.

The woman sprinted ahead of him, despite her slight limp, as she led him through the alleys, ducking below fences and avoiding the lights of the main streets. The sprint carried them across several streets, weaving a complex path between them and the purple-haired man before abruptly stopping in a shadowy indent beneath a bridging street alike those Sora had seen in San Fransokyo. The woman gasped for breath, swallowing hungrily as she finally slowed after minutes of running, the man long left behind. "You…" She paused, staring at Sora as she pressed her back into the wall of the short opening, look back at him after scanning the immediate area. "-you _saved_me."

Sora nodded meekly, feeling strangely bashful as the woman's arched brow as if being interrogated. "He was going to kill you, or… or whatever you do to people like us."

"_Players _."

Sora paused, glancing back up at the woman as his nerves dropped in his stomach. "W-what? Players? Like… like in a game?" He watched her expression drop, the bubble of panic in his stomach rigid as she raised her hand, showing him her palm.

A red timer stared back at him, the dwindling numbers seemingly carved into the surface of her hand and yet left no mark on her skin. The woman sighed as he eventually looked back at her. "I'm running out of time… I need to complete my mission."

"Mission?"

"Task? Job?" The woman paused in-thought as Sora met her blankly, brushing a thin finger across her lips before sniffling a soft giggle. Noticing his only-growing confusion, she waved nonchalantly to Sora. nd… what's that?"

"To defeat the man you just saved me from…_Caius Ballad _."

Sora mouthed the name, tasting the venom in her words. His mind grew blank, letting them fall into silence as he handed her back her bow, realising he had carried it through their whole sprint. She stroked along the curve of it sadly, a low smile curled at her lips.

"Come on." She whispered after a moment of silence between them, glancing around the wearily, the kindness in her eyes sharpened. "I have somewhere we can hide… it isn't much but Caius won't find us there."

Sora's brows furrowed in thought, pursing his chapped lips. Could he trust her? She seemed nice but… he was exactly in the place right now do making friends. But… he didn't have the keyblade-

"I can tell you're still confused, so don't worry, I'll explain everything I know once we get somewhere safe… and _dry _." She pouted, looking over his soaked clothes with sympathy. "I don't expect you to trust me… but I don't think we have much choice."

Sora swallowed down the alarm in his chest, "No… I don't think we do."

The woman gave him a small smile before ducking her head out of their hiding space, peaking around before submerging from their cover and gesturing for him to follow. Sora walked at her heels, senses sharpened from his long battle against the forces of darkness, as he listened to the ominous silence of the city around them. The sound of their steps blended in unison, echoing out and causing Sora to stiffen.

"What's your name?"

His attention snapped at her voice, pulling him back as he cocked a brow. Another laugh escaped her at this, brightening her tired, but otherwise delicate features.

"Oh, um… I'm Sora."

"Well, in any case-" The woman smiled, tilting her head with a gleaming expression that flooded him with familiarity he hastily pushed aside. "-it's nice to meet you, _Sora _."

Feeling her expectance, he returned a smile before hurrying his pace to stay by her side. However, his fist still tensed at his side, his palm no longer certain as the cold touch, yet warming sentiment of metal that always fit perfectly in his grip still failed to appear. His eyes roamed around the deserted street, catching her bow in the corner of his eye before darting away, feeling her gaze slip past him. His mouth tasted dry despite the wet breaths that blew out before him, the crisp air sinking into the depth of his gut but failing to dampen the heat inside him that felt as though he had swallowed a burning match. The trickle of sweat on his brow tensed further at the click of her heels as she swung her arms at her side, damp locks trailing down her shoulder as she moved to a silent rhythm.

He didn't ask her name.

And she didn't give it.

* * *

The scent of darkness was viscid in the air, potent even to the dumbest of senses such as her associate who followed the short distance she had paced behind her. Maleficent pursed her thin lips into a line, her brows cut in a scowl that made Pete flinch from the corner of her vision. The dust at their feet scattered in the loose winds, flapping off her robes as pierced the ground with her staff in fury. The source of her anger lingered beyond her reach, gathered around her goal as strangers of light talked, unaware to her fury.

"Well, ah… what are we supposed to do about that black box o' yours now?" Pete questioned. "Those there masked weirdos went and took it with 'em, and they look pretty powerful, probably way stronger than pipsqueak and co-!"

"BE SILENT YOU IGNORANT FOOL!"

Pete stepped back in alarm at the bite of her voice, her dark eyes pierced deep into him. He stumbled back, broken apologies on his lips only for her to turn away from him with urgency, her mind consumed at the dilemma that seemed to spring up beyond all chance. The legends, every scrap of information she had torn from scripts and stories passed through the ages, determined to keep her from her goal of domination... _none_ had spoken of such figures!

They were keyblade wielders - their hearts wafted of ancient light and furious power, of a glistening light that panicked even the darkness that curled and snapped at her heart. The destined place, the crossroads of light and dark where such forces had clashed since before written time, before recorded history and the scripts that had stolen years from her to find... none were to remains once the dust had cleared and the chosen blades had fallen, sacrificed for some idiotic concept of balance that could never truly exist without terrible consequence of which that fool Xehanort had been so ignorant as to think he could truimpt. His heart was cut from the darkness, but his blade _remained_...

And one of those organisation fools had obtained it, it seemed, and was with those light wielders, no doubt hoarding any information Xehanort held.

"These events are… far more complex than I initially realised." Her voice deepened to a murmur, sinking her brows into deep thought and ignoring the sound of Pete clumsily stepping forward once more behind her. While a useful, albeit callow follower, he had yet to prove results beyond what he lost… but in these times, allies to beguile and mould to her purposes were in short supply. Ever since Sora and the King's wretched swines thwarted her plans for swift domination and seemed content to usurp any holding her forces held on the worlds at every possible turn, her focus had been stolen away from the servings of darkness. The larger picture had long since evaded her, but now-

"However," Her voice slipped past her curled lips, egregious prophecies of what she could now achieve sending a shiver down her accomplishes spine. "-these new… _pawns_may serve quite useful. If handled correctly."

Pete blinked in alarm as her gaunt features gleamed with delight, drawing her gaze back over to the small, oblivious group who, after a few minutes of discussion shielded from their ear by the sharp winds, vanished in a portal of the cloaked man's creation. He hummed lowly, a clumsy finger rubbing over his bulbous chin as he mimicked the wicked fairy's actions. They were dressed all funny, in some sort of colour robes with animal masks covering their faces and hoods draped over their heads, forbidding him from a closer look.

He had seen a whole lotta' weirdos across the worlds, but those bozos took the cake!

"And, uh…" Pete finally spoke again, tilting his head as he squinted towards where the five strangers had stood, before resting his hand on his bulging hip. "-what are we gonna do with 'em? They don't look the run-of-the-mile pests, plus we got there them Guardians o' Light or whatever they're called!"

Maleficent nodded subtly along, showing little interest in his whining before twisting back to face him as he finished. She swung her staff before her, planting it with a click into the dust and gripped its shaft loosely. Her slender fingers curled in a weak grip, rising up to skim off the surface of the gem sitting in the head of it. "Why, yes… two birds with one stone, wouldn't you say?"

"Uh…"

Before he could reply, Maleficent was on the move. Stepping gracefully across the wasteland, she stole a short distance from their vantage point before abruptly coming to a halt. Her features peaked, widening obscurely before straightening like a board.

As if the universe was seeking to answer his question, Pete felt a sensation flow through him near instantaneously, riddled with power and an opaque hunger that drove into his gut, sending him nearly stumbling back in nausea a moment later. "What tha'-?"

Gazing up in recovery, Pete gasped as he watched Maleficent and her imposing form stammer, slim shoulders tightening inward to herself before letting out a sharp sound. Her nails dug into her staff, driving marks into its polished surface.

"Malefice-"

"We must make haste."

Without another word, the witch flicked her hand up shakily, summoning a lustrous portal of darkness that she took no time in escaping through, leaving any trace of her behind in the dust with a flick of her cloak in the wind. Pete watched her, feeling a remark on his tongue, but swallowed it as he felt another tremor rupture out, only for a slight crack in the dust causing him to pause. The thin lin scattered out, deep into the parched, dead land that laid as far as the eye could see. The sight sent a similar pulsing sensation through his chest, the sight making him blanch as he hurried to follow his ally hastily.

And with that, the portal closed behind him, leaving the graveyard to quiver before suddenly settling once more as the winds rested.


	9. As Fragile As Glass

As it turned out, Kairi hadn't needed the keys after all.

The sensation was, to the best description, she could offer, like that of a wild, massive wave crashing into your head-first. First, came the initial rush as her eyes shut, before being consumed by the sheer power of it. Pushing the breath from her lungs, she gasped for air that was suddenly stolen away, leaving nothing but her and her thoughts. Keeping your mind steady and passing through such a sensation―the adrenaline, the pressure forcing you back, threatening to toss you aside and leave you stranded and lost to your destination, your goal. Feeling the ground beneath you be snatched away, but not like you were flying… but as if you suddenly didn't exist.

Nothing.

But then, there was something. And then you could breathe again.

Or, that would be the first thing of Kairi's agenda if not for the fact that she screamed as she came face-first down onto a hillside and rather than fresh air, received a mouthful of grass and dirt upon immediate entry. So maybe the wave analogy wasn't the best for that occasion… but the initial journey surely felt the same. And wasn't that usually the case? Focus on the journey rather than the destination, or more so the fact that she survived travelling across dozens of worlds and empty space within a few minutes rather than the fact she nearly swallowed a worm?

Tumbling down the face of the brae for a few moments before her momentum faded, Kairi came to a slow but eventual stop near the bottom. A wave of sickness flooded over her, leaving her to recover on her knees as her fists loosely gripped the grass that had cushioned her fall. Heaved breathes escaped her lips as she coughed, spluttering at the sudden foul taste in her mouth.

So much for graceful landing, Kairi sighed to herself, rubbing her arm over her mouth to wipe away any saliva that trailed down her chin during her coughing fit, before lifting her head to glance around.

Her rushed breathing broke into a gasping laugh at the clear meadow that greeted her, the emerald mounds that stretched off to the horizon a far different sight that Yen Sid's tower.

"I… I did it!"

A laugh fell from her lips as she let her head fall to the ground once more, her forehead tickled by blades of grass that had been bent by her landing, lacing through her hands as she slowly rose to sit on her haunches. Her hand rose up to brush her head back, even her messy locks failing to quench her pride.

She had done it. She had gotten to another world, without Riku or Mickey or Yen Sid.

Just like Sora did.

Then again, that was because of the heartless. Kairi corrected herself as she clumsily rose to her feet, brushing off the dirt and grass that clung to her clothes. The fairies had kept their original design near enough the same, with the dress structure roughly the same except for the upper torso which had been replaced with a looser shirt style while the jacket was now its own entity, able to zip down and reaching her waist where her belt sat and now held a pouch to hold things on her hip. Leggings now covered her legs, falling down to just above her knees. The differences weren't world-shattering… but she had asked for them. To be practical, to feel more battle-ready opposed to a frilly short dress that, while she adored, seemed more to be admired than feared.

As for the jacket… it reminded her of Sora. Her under-shirt, however, was based to those she had worn when they were younger―before the heartless and keyblades and darkness―and all they had to be was three children with dreams of a raft and other worlds.

Riku had given her a look but didn't say anything.

She almost wished he had.

Giving herself another quick brush over, Kairi sighed as she gleamed to herself, glancing around the fields she had landed in. From there, a small, cobble road linked to a crossroads less than a mile away, blurry shapes in the distance focused into a small village.

Swinging her arms at her side, she began to trod down the rest of the hill, skimming the slop as she cautioned upon the wooden fence sectioning the country from the poorly maintained road. The grey, bumpy road stretched into the distance, rounding around the hills and leading to a flatter valley where, even from her position miles away, Kairi could catch sight of the high towers and glistening structure of the castle shining in the morning sun.

"Easy… then I can find Cinderella." Kairi reasoned to herself, the determination at the sight of her goal rose in her stomach and shoved away the guilt she felt towards her behaviour with Riku. He would find her eventually, and given that she had managed to toss the Gummi-ship keys away from her once she recognised the King's star-shard actually worked… it wouldn't be long before he'd track her down.

Maybe he would just drag her back to Yen Sid once he found her, see her as immature and reckless and lock her in her room until the day that Yen Sid deemed it okay to find Sora came… but she wouldn't go without a fight. If she could show them that she was able to survive by herself, then maybe they'd give her a chance to find him.

Maybe they'd see her as more than the damsel who Sora sacrificed himself for.

The weak girl who froze when Terra-nort attacked them, when Xemnas kidnapped her and she didn't even struggle. Didn't even try to escape his grasp before forced into a subconscious state, left to listen to the clangs of the raging battle before left to the mercy of Xehanort's blade.

To feel her light, her pure being, shattering into literal nothingness.

The girl who would only have gotten in Sora's way.

But she wouldn't wait another minute. She wouldn't let what happened to Aqua; a decade of isolation, of dark phantoms and shadows over her heart as others, fastened to brace for a threat they had known about for years, rushing to train boys who had proven themselves tenfold. They had said Sora had rushed off to find her―he deserved the same.

No matter what Riku really did believe.

He had been the one to give her the idea of visiting the other princesses. Or, more so, the once Princesses of Heart, given that Sora had said that they had changed now and he had already met three of them on his last adventure.

He always had a knack for finding light in the darkest times, Kairi thought with a smile, wasting no time in hopping over the fence. Landing with a crunch on the uneven stones, her legs moved instantly, cerulean eyes marvelling in everything around her as she walked.

However, these delights faded away as the minutes past, her stomach twisting in guilt as she shoved her hands into her pockets, her jacket zipped up just below her collar as she fumbled with the stone in her pocket. Slender fingers grazed over it, feeling over the crevices and angles of it, studying how it curved into the palm of her hand.

It was quiet.

"I guess… Sora always had Donald and Goofy." She smiled sadly, her shoulders slumping. The sound of her steps was the only sound of life around, aside from the occasional bird that flew overhead or woodland animal that scurried away as she drew close, fearful of the hunters that hid amongst the canopy. A laugh fell from her lips, "Almost wish Riku was here."

But she kept her pace. Chewing down softly onto her lip, she sucked on it as the muscles in her legs flooded with a dull ache, the material of her boots supple, moulded to the shape of her feet during her training with Merlin and Lea.

At least she knew some basic spells, Kairi mused to herself as she thought of her fiery once-kidnapper and the old wizard.

She knew why her heart ached, but kept a firm resolve over it. Anger poured into her at the recall of Riku and Mickey, their pleading eyes hoping to quench her fury, while Yen Sid looked on without a word. The Old Master didn't even seem to care about Sora―after all, he had never once tried to contact Sora during his first adventure or offered him any training―until he needed to explain things to him before his second adventure. He didn't reach out to Sora or Riku for advice until the Organisation and Sora woke up from his sleep, had forbidden the King from speaking of Aqua…

Her fist clenched with even force to make her winch, feeling the tender skin of her hand be pricked by her nails, not yet hardened through the use of the Keyblade and the casting of spells. Callous hands and worn skin called for gloves to constantly be replaced, not that it was much of a change for either of her friends who had spent most of their lives trying to one-up the other, always challenging one another to races or sparring matches.

Riku had been furious when he learnt of Aqua's fate, of everything left untold to him… so how could he even consider leaving Sora? How could he accept the word of a man who had never told them about the woman who sacrificed herself for him, who saved her as a little girl?

Kairi frowned, her stroll turned heavy, her muscles holding steadfast.

She couldn't risk it happening again. She wouldn't risk Sora over following Yen Sid's orders, never mind how she may be punished in the future. She didn't care. He had said she had to get stronger, so she would.

The minutes passed by as her resolve grew steady, pushing aside guilts as she found her way to the edge of the town. It sat snugly in the shadow of the castle, with massive spires and high windows looming over them, regal and pristinely clean as to glisten in the sun. The houses were mainly small, grouped together along the fringe of the streets were horses and carts hurried by. The townspeople didn't give her much notice, strolling past busily as they set out to work, worn leather shoes and hooves clicking off the smooth cobble that settled beneath her as she passed into the town.

Kairi forced her expression to soften, to keep her attention firm on her goal as she scanned around, strolling deeper into the town to what she assumed was the centre, were several stalls sat and the majority of the locals seemed to be.

A robust blond man made his way past her with a tray of fresh bread, oblivious to the parting of her lips, her voice failing to come out as she stepped back. The hum of energy was exhilarating but overwhelming as people streamed past, unaware of the stranger before them in the hurry of everyday life. Tall, spindly street lamps lined the thicker main road that drove through the town, hugging the thin paths that drew along the abutted houses., narrow paths broke off and led deeper into the lanes of houses that grew out from the main structure.

A gaunt-looking woman hurried past Kairi, holding a whimpering child on her hip and a basket in her hand, only for it to knock off Kairi as she sped along. A gasp escaped her, scooping her wiggling infant closer to her chest as she arched her back down to try to catch the groceries that fell, if not for Kairi who dashed to duck down and bundled them together in her arms, an amicable smile grazed her lips as she placed them back into the woman's basket. "Oh, thank you… I-um-I don't believe I've seen you before here, dear?"

Kairi glanced back up to after cooing the baby, pausing for a moment so that she wouldn't blurt out something to damage the 'order' Donald always seemed to insist on, noting that it must be important for the hot-headed duck to always be lecturing Sora on it whenever they recalled their adventures. "I'm visiting a friend." She grinned, straightened her back and focusing on stopping the wringing of her hands. "She married the prince of this land? Her name is C-"

"Oh, dear. You must be mistaken," The woman's voice was affable, but stern, her brows rising in confusion. "-the prince of this kingdom has yet to find a bride. Although, he did announce a proclamation over some maiden he met at the ball not two nights ago, why it has sent all the women into a frenzy and… are you alright, dear?"

Kairi waved away her concern with a smile and a nod, rewarding her a sheepish look to hide the alarm stretching her features moments before. "Um, yeah… silly me I must have gotten myself lost, uh... good day anyway!" Without much hesitation, she hurried away from the woman and focused her attention on stepping a side street, finding a cosy nook where she ducked underneath.

"He's… looking for her?" She muttered to herself, brows knitting together in confusion. "But Aqua said-"

"WHOA! OUT OF THE WAY, MA'AM! ROYAL BUSINESS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE!"

Kairi froze at the sound of a nasally voice, ducking out of her hiding place to spot a luxurious carriage ride by, a lanky man with a thick black moustache, and sky blue uniform with navy epaulettes, hanging ungraciously from the body of the vehicle before struggling to pull himself back in to stop himself from falling out. Regaining his composure, the man sighed as he replaced his monocle before settling back into the carriage, unaware as Kairi watched them manoeuvre down the street towards the outskirts, the man's nervous voice calling out loudly as he seemed to be checking some sort of list.

Kairi watched the carriage thud down the lone, winding path towards the mass of hills that spread out towards the horizon, peering as she sprinted back to the outskirts of the town to spot a faint shape of a manor cushioned between them. While not as large as the castle, it did suggest wealth beyond the ordinary townsfolk… hadn't Aqua said that Cinderella had lived with some 'Lady' stepmother? What was her name again?

Biting her lip, Kairi shoved the irritatingly missing information in her memory away as she rushed back out of the town, bursting into a sprint once she was beyond view and lunging to hide amongst the forest as the carriage rode ahead. Keeping her head low, she crept through the bushes and plants to hide from view, slowly but surely accompanying the carriage and its occupant to the lone manor. Kairi came to a stop as the carriage arrived at the front of the manor, parking on the gravel entrance as the moustached man climbed out once more.

"But, Cinderella found her Prince! Aqua said-" The sound of a branch snapping, however, caused Kairi to jump to attention, her alarm rising tenfold as a man's voice called out behind her, oddly seeming to almost be coming from above her?

"Uh… yeah about that, something funky sure is going on, huh? Guess you better find out wha...uh oh―ack!"

Startled, Kairi snapped around to face the darkness of the forest, the canopy shielding anything more than a few feet ahead of her in complete shadow. Furiously blinking, Kairi squinted into the shadows, only to tear back and summon her keyblade in a furious blinding light as she heard the thump of something yelling out before landing behind her, tearing around in time to swing her blade towards the amorphous figure caught in the corner of her vision.

A gloved hand caught the blade with relative ease, slender fingers clenching down onto the flowery edge of it and tore it from Kairi's grip, the owner tossing it up in the air a moment later and catching it by the hilt and waving it playfully in the air before her.

"Whoa, that's so not friendly! And here I was just giving you some friendly pointers! Jeez, this thing ain't a toy now, so don't go swinging it around all willy-nilly!"

Stepping back in alarm, Kairi gritted her teeth towards the figure, ushering a dark glare while he just chuckled to himself, ducking his head forwards. "Give it back!" She demanded, glowering at the man who only placed a hand on his hip in response.

"Finders keepers!" The man prodded the air with Destiny's Embrace as if practising fencing, before clicking his tongue against the top of his mouth. "But… if you insist."

Raising his arm up, his clenched his first tighter around the hilt, causing Kairi to watch as he released it a moment later, letting it vanish with a flash before being re-summoned into her hand. Glaring back up at him as she settled it firmly in her grasp, she settled into a tense pose, the muscles of her legs tightened to launch her away in case of any more sudden actions.

The man followed her movements, curious. Her body flooded with adrenaline at the sight of him and his attire. He was dressed in a simple black coat, the exact same as those the organisation wore, complete with black boots, trousers and gloves. His hood was pulled up, hiding his face from view… but his body seemed able enough to portray his emotions just fine.

Kairi stared back, leaving them both in silence as she watched the man tilt his head to the side, his head rising up and down as he looked over her, a gloved hand fell behind the shadow of his hood to rest on where she could only assume his mouth was.

A light hum followed one that she could only imagine upon hearing it to be joined with a raised brow.

Kairi growled, recognising his gestures after a moment as if the man was acting out some elaborate screenplay… he was judging her!

"I thought all of you organisation weirdos were gone!" She snapped, pulling her arm back to angle her weapon. "Or, lemme guess, Xehanort had a backup plan or something stupid in case Sora beat him? Well, whatever it is, don't think we won't stop even without Sora!"

The man flinched back at her anger, causing her jaw to quiver as her resolve flickered for a spare moment. He… who was this guy?

"Oh…uh," He stammered instead, his words caught on his lips as his body leaned back in surprise at her temper, his boot skimmed along the grass and crushing it under him. But, just as quickly as it came, his surprise vanished as he straightened himself once more, gripping his hips. "I'd hate to be the one to break it to ya', Ka-kid, but I'm not one of those boring olde' seekers of darkness. Shame on you for singling out everyone based on their fashion sense!" He retorted, pointing a finger at her. "Hey, maybe I just like black and being vitamin D deficient!"

Kairi scowled as he wiggled his finger of accusation at her, already tiring of his over-dramatics but not letting her guard down as he rose to his full height once more, stepping around the small clearing devoid of trees. He stole wide strides, like an animal on the prowl and circling its prey, but his taunt shoulders and general swing of his arms, tucking them behind him against his tail bone, attempted to lure her into a sense of docility. His head never lowered to check where he stepped.

She watched him glide around the clearing, keeping her senses primed while also listening to the sounds within the house, the shrill voices of women and the moustached man inside. The horses neighed, restrained near the entrance by the weight of the carriage. Her eyes darted back to the black-coated man.

Grasping his hips, the man's head shifted slightly, watching her back while also seeming to notice the commotion from within the manor. Neither attacked the other, rather so being united by their joint attention on the house as the sound within grew louder.

"I'm guessing your Master friend told you about how Cinderella found happily ever after by fitting a shoe?" He retorted a moment later, his voice oozing with sarcasm as if believing the whole concept far too preposterous… only to glance back the tip of her keyblade which was pointed straight at him. He clicked his tongue, before raising two fingers and using them to push the weapon away from him. "Well, you might wanna check your friend's story, just sayin'."

Kairi's lips parted, only to close again without a word as the man rose a finger before her to gesture silence, before twisting his wrist to angle his finger towards the house.

As if on cue, the front door of the manor burst open and from it returned the moustached man and his coachman, now escorting two young women dressed in pink and green. The one dressed in pink stumbled from the door but regained herself before either of the men noticed and made her way towards the carriage. Her every step clicked, luring Kairi forwards as she hoisted herself slightly onto a tree, peering across just in time to spot a glass slipper on the clumsy woman's foot, her dark red locks much like Kairi's own.

Lowering her blade, Kairi dashed forward to the edge of the tree lines, staring at the scene as the men unlatched the carriage door, gesturing for both women to enter as they shared a discomforted look. The door to the manor remained open, another voice ringing out from inside. There was a second voice inside, a woman, but the soft exclamation that echoed from that distance was muffled by the whiny of horses and the ecstatics of the two young women in the carriage.

A few moments passed before an older woman left the manor, her head hoisted high and regal as she shut the door behind her, her thin lips pursed into a chilling smile that Kairi could feel from the distance between them. Hoisting her dress and cane into the carriage, the moustached man shut it behind them with a click before clambering onto the front. He gave the other man a look but said nothing. The sound of laughter inside the carriage rang into Kairi's ears as they passed by, ducking behind the bushes and trees to avoid catching their attention as she watched it make its way back down the path.

"That… that's not possible." Kairi muttered, glaring down to the ground in thought, chewing on her lip. "That woman wearing the glass slipper… wasn't Cinderella."

"Obviously."

Turning back, her heated glare returned to the unidentifiable man, his shoulders lifted as he swung his arms at his sides, before setting them behind his back with a sigh. His head leaned back, falling into his shoulder as he gazed back at her. "So…?" His voice was quiet, meekly rising as he waved his hand before him, gesturing between the manor and the direction that carriage had gone in. His head drooped, "-what does that mean?"

She blinked at him, barely acknowledging his question as she raised a brow suspiciously at him, forcing herself to not snicker as he dramatically flopped, his upper body leaning forward and muttered something to himself. His gloved hand reached behind the shade of hood to slap against his forehead, barely catching the rim of his hood.

Kairi paused, letting her eyes slowly drop away from the man and back towards the floor, noting how he shifted expectantly but not with urgency, rather settling himself against a nearby tree. He didn't seem nervous per se to be around her, but more so discomforted, as if there was a tension in the air and her answer would pop the bubble.

Almost as if he didn't want to be there just as much as she did.

"Aqua and her friends came to the world over a decade ago, they helped Cinderella with her dress, getting her safely to the ball and…" Kairi paused, staring wide-eyed back towards the distant carriage. "-stopping her step-family and the heartless!"

The man said nothing in addition, merely settling himself in his lounge against the tree, long black-clad legs stretched out with his back pressed into the curve of a tree, using a stick to draw clumsy, abstract scribbles into the dirt. One seemed to be a person blowing a raspberry at… a dragon? Or was it a robot? A turtle?

Kairi ignored his scribbles continuing to pace towards the open in full awareness of the man watching her curiously, "But now that all hasn't happened and Cinderella…" Alarmed at the conclusion she came to within a moment, Kairi took no time before bursting into an immediate sprint away from the man, no longer caring about his immediate schemes and intend heading straight for the manor. She could his shouts of confusion over her actions but didn't seem to bother following her.

Pausing for a moment, she turned back to see whether he had truly remained. He did. Nestled in the shadow of the forest, stood at the edge, observing. A moment passed between them in silence before the man suddenly turned on his heel, giving her a salute of sorts, only to seem to hesitate as he watched her a few moments longer, his body shifted as if to speak before retreating back into the depths of the forest instead, his hands tucked neatly behind his back.

A dread set into her chest, seeing him disappear as if never there, her worry for Cinderella betraying her duty as a Keyblade wielder to follow the man, to stop whatever dark plans he had.

But… he wanted her to know about Cinderella? If her hunch was true, as he seemed to suggest given he didn't bother to correct her, then doing such would assist with those plans. But doing nothing was not an option.

But why would he want her to know about the heartless if he was allied with them? Why would he give her enough knowledge to try to stop whatever was amiss in that world? For fun? A sick game to test a keyblade wielder with nothing but a magic rock and a moral compass? A test? Did the organisation just get a kick out of having their plans thwarted?

'I'm not one of those boring olde' seekers of darkness'... was he lying? He was dressed just like the organisation―or was he the new danger, the powerful darkness that Yen Sid had warned them about? He didn't seem all that bad…

Kairi scowled, the lapses of judgment, of decision in both her mind and heart conflicted her to no end. But she continued her half-dash-half-slid down the face of the small hill the forest sat upon skirting the manor.

She could judge the morality of coated men later!

Coming to the bottom of the hill, Kairi shook the lumps of dirt and grass caught in the bottoms of her boots off before continuing towards the house. The height of the manor loomed above the otherwise empty countryside, the house dull and cold against the lush emerald fields that grew around it, snug against the sullen forest.

Her boots clicked as she raced up the steps, her hand reaching for the golden knocker and handle, only to pause as she met a sound on the other side. It was muffled by the thick shape of the door, but unmistakable.

Shouldering the weight of it, Kairi gritted her jaw as she tried to push it open, only to turn her gaze down towards the tingling of her fingertips. Destiny's Embrace materialised on her command, her slender fingers flexing around it.

"Right." She nodded to herself, raising her weapon with her two hands and aiming it at the door. A moment later a brilliant light followed, a vibrant beam shooting out of the tip of the keyblade and soaring into the door. A light clicked sounded out, luring a smile from her.

Trying once more, Kairi rolled her eyes as the door then opened with ease, muttering remarks about her own stupidity as she heaved the large door open. Pushing it all the way, her hand scrambled to the door, catching it to keep it open before stepping inside.

Had… had she just broken and entered into someone's house?! Did it count if she meant well? Kairi sighed, pushing the thoughts away as she made her way into the foyer, open to find two small shapes rushing towards her.

Two brown mice; one dressed in red and the more slender of the two while the other was fat and wore a yellow shirt―Ven had said he met some mice who wore clothes in this world, so some of her surprises were dulled―leapt around her feet. Tugging and chirping with high pitched voices that she couldn't understand in their frantic state, they led her further into the house and towards the side of the foyer where the staircase sat.

And there she was.

Light sobs fell from the young woman who the mouse ran to, despite her blond hair tied back into a ponytail and dressed in simple clothes more akin to a servant than the gorgeous blue gown she had been wearing in Hollow Bastion, Kairi recognised her in an instance.

And the glass shards scattered before her on the polished marble floor.

"Cinderella!"

The gentle hum of the Gummi-ship engine failed to drone out the thumping of Riku's heart. Emotions and thoughts surged through him, questions and answers that he didn't want to address but knew he would have to at some point.

His boot bounced off the floor, drawing Goofy's attention as he swerved around in the co-pilot seat, before glancing back at Donald who drove. The Royal Magician made a saddened sound but said nothing.

Mickey sat by his side, his eyes glancing around the ship, to the control console and its many flashing buttons, to the floor, before resting on his wringing hands laid on his lap.

"Riku, I-"

"I shouldn't have left things like I did."

The King was silenced by the sullen man; his eyes shaded by his fringe falling down his face, his posture slacking and shoulders limp. The wrinkle of his nose made Mickey lean forwards, trying to catch the other's eye while placing a gloved hand on his bare arm.

"I…" Riku swallowed a shaky breath, clenching his jaw. "I shouldn't have left Kairi alone, hurting. I shouldn't have doubted Sora like I did, of course, he wouldn't use darkness to save her… he would never have been as selfish as I was."

Mickey sighed, "We'll find her, Riku. Kairi couldn't have-"

"No."

Both Donald and Goofy turned towards the two and the sharpness of the younger Master's voice, the tension of his brow as he gazed back at Mickey.

"But we can help ya' look!" Goofy retorted, sharing a sympathetic look with Donald, awaiting for their King's reaction. "Me and Donald travelled to all sorts of worlds with Sora, we can help ya' find her in no time."

"Yeah!" Donald squawked in addition. "You said she's probably gonna go looking for the other Princesses!"

"We've already visited Belle, Jasmine, Alice… uh-"

Goofy lowered the hand he was using to count on as Riku looked up towards them, the exhaustion on his face silencing them. "I know, but you guys have your own mission. I was the one who let Sora go off on his own, who didn't even try to go with him… I can't lose Kairi now too."

"Then let us help," Mickey pleaded, his wide eyes wrinkling into a pitiful smile as Riku clasped his hand, squeezing it gently before standing to his feet. "Riku-"

The silveret made his way into the front of the cockpit, his hand grazing over the back of the driving seat that sat in the centre of the set of three. A sigh escaped him, running his fingers along the supple material. "Mickey, if I need your help, I'll call you guys... I promise. But you can't risk your mission over my mistake. If what Master Yen Sid is true, then right now your mission is too important to wait. I'll find Kairi."

"You sure?" Donald whined, his brows sunk as he looked around before focusing once more on the controls, slowing the ship down as Riku step forward. A flash of light followed, letting Braveheart appear in his clenched fist.

Riku gave the two a nod, looking back as he heard the sound of steps behind him. Mickey paced to his side, returning a weak smile. "Alright," The King sighed, swallowed a hard breath. "Just be careful! We can't lose you and Kai-"

"I know, Mickey… and thank you."

Mickey nodded sadly, stepping back and allowing Riku to roll his shoulders before lifting Braveheart to eye-level.

Shutting his eyes, he allowed his heart to open, to grasp at the connections that existed and round them, that tangled together with all of those in his company. The trio watched as he clenched his jaw, following one such connection.

Opening his eyes once he found what he was looking for, Riku lunged his keyblade back before stabbing it forward. A ball of light surged from the tip of the blade, glistening and blinding him as he felt the light wrap around him.

The sound of the Gummi-ship engine popped in his ears, hearing Donald shout out a question. Riku nodded, causing the duck to press a series of buttons. Magic seemed to surround him, enveloping him as the light continued to burst from the keyblade.

And then the sensation of the Gummi-ship around him vanished, leaving him feeling weightless as if the whole universe disappeared in a moment. Riku gasped at his keyblade, following the connection that grew stronger and stronger, before feeling a crack below him as the ground settled beneath him. His boots smacked off dirt, buckling his knees as the world solidified around him.

Lunging forwards, Riku managed to catch himself from falling, grasping at the grass he had landed on, his stomach dropping as his body settled into the sudden surroundings.

He coughed. While it hasn't been his first time, using the keyblade was far different from a corridor of darkness or diving in the realm of sleep.

Struggling to his feet, Riku winched at the sudden brightest of sunlight that pierced his eyes. Blinking, the pain settled and allowed him to glance around him. A woodland of some sort, with clearings between trees suggesting a forest. Darkness shrouded the depth of the area around him.

Seeing no other choice, Riku began to walk.

What he didn't notice, however, was the looming figure standing off behind him. Whatever sunlight managed to break through the canopy bounced off the horn that protruded from his mask. Slender red eyes watched the young Master, humming softly at his arrival.

Ira sighed, "User of Darkness… I have to tell the Master."

With a flick of his cape, the once-Unicornis leader turned on his heel, making sure to keep his unknown adversary within his sight as he watched the other for another moment or two.

So young, such potential… only to reek of darkness. His jaw clenched, swallowing back down the disappointment in his chest. After all their losses… the darkness still held followers in the hearts of man. Had the destruction of their home, of their time and everything he had loved been not enough? Was this what the Master spoke of―an inevitability of the heart, of the world? Would these worlds too be swallowed by darkness only to be plunged without return?

No, Ira shook such thoughts from his mind, waving his hand to summon a portal. After all, they had lost, he wouldn't allow it. The Master wouldn't ignore this, once he would return from whatever mysterious place he had deemed it "super-duper important" to go to, he would rally them just as he had done before in times of old to protect the light. The Old World was doomed―but he wouldn't let this one fall.

None of them would.


	10. Thinking Of Tomorrow

**Sorry for the wait, but college has been quite hectic lately so I've barely had time with assignment briefs due soon so I'm working a lot, along with drawing and other writing projects. But, here this chapter is now.**

Damp grass squished under the Master's boot as he came stumbling from his corridor of darkness, shutting it behind him with a shaky hand before letting himself collapse against the nearby cliffs edge. A drizzle fell from overcast skies, but no comment escaped him, he simply just stood.

Showery spots and dark skies were far more common in Daybreak Town than he ever experienced in his childhood on the Islands—he had long grown used to missing the heat and the sun, wearing short sleeves and eating ice cream before a day of playful sparring and exploring and napping on the hot sand.

Raising a hand over his face, the Master wiped away the droplets that leaked off his hood and down his brow. A twinge caught his lip. He sniffled, exhaling a small cloud between his lips as he tensed his posture, resting his curved back against the wall.

_She's back. _

_It worked._

_It really worked, it- _

The Master flinched at the crack of lighting, the sound reverbing far away. He swallowed, heaving a shaky breath. _No… no, now's not the time for… for all that_.

_Later gotta keep it together_, he thought to himself as he fixed the hang of his hood before starting to walk, _time to greet an old friend._

Pacing himself, the Master let his arms stretch out above his head before resting them on the looseness of his shoulders as he walked. The short grass that grew around the linked mounds of earth that made up the path to the Land Of Departure licked at his boots, the leather darkened by the droplets that clung to the ground and would more than likely be scorched by the sun once morning came.

The world was asleep; cast in darkness aside from the spindly lamps that dotted the path. He didn't bother to hide or sneak his way through towards the castle that had once been home to oblivion before it was reclaimed by the light. None of its inhabitants would be watching, instead focused on rest and regaining the lives stolen from them.

Invi, however, was slightly more difficult to intercept.

Always observing, listening, gathering pieces of information to fit like a puzzle neatly in her head. A smile grazed the Master's lips, cutting his cheek at the thought of her stuttering replies, trying to explain as though she didn't need rest while trying not to act as if she was disobeying. Eager to please, nearly irritatingly so.

With some hope, she listened to reason. Odd, but times had changed… and he _had _told her she needed to keep up-

"Or get left behind… all alone." He whispered to himself, tasting over those ancient words. Oh, how he wished she recognised how true they were, how his lessons came from reason, rather than accepting his word without complaint. She questioned his dramatics, his ecstatics and vigour, but never said anything. What was the point of observations if not to address, to solve problems?

Was it respectful to stay silent, or to voice the wrongs of someone you considered superior?

But there would be time for that later. And his ophidian student. No, there was another he was here to see, another to discuss matters with.

And, by the sound of hushed, shrill pants racing towards him, he wouldn't have to wait long-

"_Master_!"

Before he could properly react, the Master forced himself not to cry out in surprise as a small, plump form crashed into his chest at full force. Small, stubbly arms scrambled against his coat, claws pawing at the material to hold itself only to relax once he flattened his hands against the small creature's back. A bark of laughter left the Master, cooing as the cat-like being shoved itself into the crook of his neck.

Another laugh left him, "Hey! H-hey…! It's okay, buddy…"

Chirithy sniffled, resting its ears against its head as it purred against the man. His hand held the creature against his chest with ease, running two fingers down from the top of its head down to its back with his free hand. "M-Master! I knew it was you! You're… you're back! I-I… Ven, I-!"

"Calm down, bud… it's okay."

The cat stared in shock at the hooded man as he carried Chirithy the rest of the way, coming to a halt just at the opening to the castle's courtyard. The clearing sprouted onto another level that led to the castle's entrance, with the Master resting the Chirithy down on one of the marble benches within the training area of sorts on the outskirts. Thick pieces of wood and signs stood firm, with freshly dug dents and marks suggesting recent use.

Kneeling down onto one knee to meet the Chirithy at eye-level, the Master rubbed down the cat's neck once more, sniggering at how it nuzzled backwards into the gesture with glee, its arms waving frantically as it lost its balance, only for him to catch his hand around the creature's back once more before it fell off the bench.

"'m happy to see you too, bud." The Master sighed as he rounded his hand around the creatures head, only for it to nuzzle its cheek into his palm. "I'm happy to know you managed to find Ven-"

Chirithy, however, staggered back in alarm after a moment, a blush falling over its otherwise blank features. "I… I'm sorry, Master! I don't know what… I failed you… _and _Ventus."

The Master shushed his frantic apologies, shaking his head gently before trailing his finger down the creature's head and scratching beneath its chin. "No, you didn't."

"Wha-" Chirithy gasped, blinking as it shook its head in dismay. "But… I left him."

A gloved hand pointed a finger against Chirithy's chest, drawing it silent as the Master sighed, rising to his feet with a groan. "No…" He insisted, his voice low but soft. "You never left his heart. Your connection remains and will help you keep him safe. Everything that happened… well, it wasn't your fault." He made a sound as he stretched his arms out before him, taking short paces around the courtyard. "So calm down! You're not in trouble…"

"Master?"

The man stood with his back to the creature, the muscles drawn by the material of his coat flexed and loosened in his shoulders and neck. A hum escaped him, leaning his head over his shoulder to look back at the Chirithy. "Yeah?"

"Are… are you alright?"

The Master was silent for a moment, before urgently cracking his arm once more with a groan. "Never-" Like a bowstring, he released his other arm from his grip, shaking it ease circulation before spinning around to meet Chirithy with open arms. "-better!"

Chirithy watched him, before letting out a quiet huff once the man turned on his heel, dancing around the space. Landing his hands on his hips, he bent his head back towards the skies. A whistle trailed slowly from his lips, causing Chirithy to leap back to attention.

"Gotta' love a good view, huh?" The Master said out loud, acting oblivious to the Chirithy's downtrodden stare. His tone suggested he was more so speaking to himself, rather than seeking conversation, something the cat was thankful for. "Man, haven't watched the stars since… in a long time."

Chirithy glanced up in surprise, catching the barest drop in its master's shoulders before, just like he always did, the man bounced away. Since… since when? The sudden sullen dismissal in his voice intrigued it forward, but the sharp tug in its chest pulled it back.

There was a lot it didn't know about its Master—and it wasn't like it could just _ask_!

"Master," It began instead, catching the hooded man's gaze. Or at least it assumed it did, the man could be looking at anything in all honesty. "Before I returned to Ven… I meet another boy," The Chirithy straightened itself. "In the world of skies and water… where dead hearts go?"

The Master was silent for a moment.

"Uh-huh, shame how many dead kids there must be there."

The Chirithy pushed back the alarm in its gut. "I-yes… yes, it is."

Neither spoke after that, leaving Chirithy to simply watch the Master take stray steps around the clearing, near the edge of the departure's front.

"What about him?" The Master so said out loud rather than questioning the creature, his tone empty but suggestive.

Chirithy mumbled to themselves, only to gaze up to meet the Master once more watching them. "Um… I-I'm not sure! He was nice and um… well, he's gone now."

"Gone?"

Chirithy swallowed, before nodding shyly. "He… he dived too deep into sleeping hearts trying to revive his friends."

"Did he succeed?"

"Yes."

The Master spun around with enough energy to cause Chirithy to flinch back. "Then I'd say he's not truly gone!" His voice dropped to a more relaxed, but spirited tone, slurring roughly at the edge of his voice but not quite harsh. "He still exists in the hearts of his friends-"

"But, Master… can't you help him?!"

"Nope."

"But-"

Chirithy was silenced by the Master's quick steps, pacing back over to the bench and dropped to his knees. The damp grass squashed beneath his weight. "Chirithy."

The man's tone suggested a moment of sadness, a gloved hand reached over and gently, but with affection behind it, scratched between the creature's ears. "I know that you want to help him, but you must focus on Ven. I'll… I'll see if you really want… but like those friends of his, you may just have to let that boy go. Okay?"

"You... " Chirithy froze, however, as a shiver ran through them. Their ears dropped. "-Ven's having a nightmare."

The Master merely stood for a moment, watching. "Then go to him, he needs you."

Chirithy nodded meekly, peeking over the bench before jumping off, landing with a bounce onto the grass. Giving itself a shake, it stole a few steps away from the spot before stopping at the sound of the man behind it clearing his throat.

"And… another thing," He added, his gloved hand clenched into a loose fist to cover his mouth, as if he was going to cough, before instead lifting it away from him and towards the Castle. "In a little while, you will need to seek out Invi. But don't worry, she'll find you… one way or another." The Chirithy arched a brow at his tone, the shrug of his shoulders. "So keep an eye on the folks here, help Ven and the others recover… and just go for it! Y'know?"

" 'Go for it'...? Go for what?"

"Anything!" The Master exclaimed gleefully with stretched out arms. "Have some fun, play some games, try some foods… these people will take good care of you. Just so long as you help Ven, 'capiche?"

"Uh… yes?"

"Great."

Chirithy blinked as the Master nodded, before turning on his heel and immediately began to saunter out of the Departure once more. "Wha...M-Master?!"

He stopped.

"Yeah?" He called out behind him, his voice hanging somewhat like a whine as he leaned his head back, gazing back at the small creature.

"I...I-um…" Chirithy stammered, its confusion over its own actions faded to alarm at the man once more stomped over to it, hunching down before flattening a hand over the creature's head.

A chuckle escaped him, shushing the other. "You'll do fine… and I'll try to visit you again when I can."

"But, Master-"

"Ah!"

"Master-"

"Ahh!"

The dream-eater creature huffed in exasperation at the man's antics as the Master rose back to his feet once more, all but sensing his grin beneath the shadow of his hood. He raised a finger before the creature's face, waving it ever so slightly from side-to-side before curling it back into his clenched fist. His respectable posture, with his hands clenched and tucked neatly behind him on his tail bone, crumbled as he let out a laugh, kneeling over as Chirithy glared at him.

"Master…" It grumbled, his button-like eyes creasing as it wrinkled it's nose with a frown, passing its weight between its two legs on the spot.

Whether or not the man had heard it didn't matter as he straightening himself once more after his laughter subsided, raising a gloved hand behind his hood to seemingly wipe his eyes. "Alright… what's wrong?"

"Are… are the other alright?"

"Others?" The Master questioned.

"Those like Ven, and their Chirithy? The Dandelions?" It paused for a moment, hesitant as its paws drew together over its pouch, playing with the soft material."...And what about Master Ava? Is she with Master Invi or-"

"_No_."

Chirithy froze, feeling an odd shiver run through its spine at the Master's tone. Sharp, precise… aloof. Any sense of humour melted from his shoulders, leaving set muscles that stiffened against his chest, that laced together with wringing hands over his collar and played with his coat's zipper. While the creature had never truly questioned the shape of it before, the zipper appeared to be of some sort of sword—a keyblade, perhaps?—that was hidden by the man's nimble fingers.

The Master pushed his shoulders back, tearing his hands from his zipper and forcing them by his side. "No… Ava isn't with Invi or any of the others."

"Then where is she?"

"She…" Chirithy watched the man, his hooded face sinking down to gaze down at the ground, nudging some stray lump of dirt and stone that had been kicked free at some point with his boot. "—has her own mission."

It would only be days after that Chirithy realised it didn't believe the Master in those moments. But, it simply gave him a nod before stepping back to award the Master some space, noting to itself how he seemed to spring back to life within a moment.

The Master too stepped back, his tone filled with a smile but empty. "Right, well… anyways, I've got some other things to check up on!" He didn't wait for the creature to reply and began to, with zest, stroll back the way he came. A gloved hand rose up to the side of his face, waving subtly from side to side in a relaxed motion. He called back out behind him, "But hey! Don't sweat it, just do what you think is right!"

"Master?"

"Goodnight!"

Chirithy didn't get another chance to call out to the man before, as if in the blink of an eye, the man summoned a portal and strolled through, shutting it quickly behind him and leaving the creature alone once more.

It huffed, rubbing its stubby paws along the velvety fabric of the pouch that hung from its neck. Brushing its ears against its head, it turned its back on where the Master had left and made its way back to the departure—and more importantly, Ventus.

The cold marble and stone tingled the small creature's feet as it waddled its way back across the training yard and through the spacious courtyard where Ventus had told him Master Eraqus had been cut down over a decade prior. Soft mutterings escaped it, distractions caught its eye with every crack or faded carving on the Departure's walls.

It didn't take Chirithy long to retrace its hurried trail from Ventus' chamber, recounting everything the Master had said, simply wishing to memorise everything. The Master Of Master was _back_! He had returned! But… Ven had forgotten everything, had he known that? And Master Ava—why was he so uncomfortable talking about her? Was her mission of utmost importance enough for her to not locate her missing dandelions?

"Uh… maybe I should just tell Ven—no! No!" Chirithy argued with itself, mortified at its own suggestion. The Master told me to care for Ven, to guide and keep him safe! It shook its head, turmoil creeping into its long set assurances. "He will remember eventually, I've just got to stay with… ugh, give me the strength to keep following my heart as my guiding ke—"

"Hey, little fella… what are you doing out here?"

Chirithy let out a loud squeak as a masculine voice spoke out behind him, leaping around in alarm only to find itself face to face with Master—wait, was he a Master? He sure seemed like one—Terra. Blinking, the creature found relief in the tall man holding a wooden tray with four steaming mugs in his grasp rather than his keyblade.

Terra arched a brow at it but only smiled as he tilted his head to the side. "Lemme guess, you knew Ven had a nightmare? Aqua and I heard him and...well, cocoa usually helps in my experience." The man watched it carefully, before letting his smile grow. "You want a ride back? I didn't know if you… well, if you drink but I brought you one too since Ven and Aqua insisted. You should join us, Ven really seems happy with you around, even after… everything."

Taking his offer without hesitation—or, more so to do with the strain in its chest that remained after running through the long halls in search of an exit to find the Master—Chirithy waiting until Terra stepped to its side before leaping upwards and grabbing a hold of his shoulder, which the man hunched the help it gain footing.

Terra chuckled, "Take that as a yes."

Letting Terra carry it back gave the Chirithy a sense of calm, allowing itself to fall into the man's neck, feeling the muscle of it twist and rise as he snickered at the sensation of its fur rubbing off him, focusing on not spilling the drinks.

Chirithy rested into the limber man's body, taking comfort in his warm as they continued down the halls towards Ven's room. _Maybe… maybe this won't be so hard after all_, the small creature reasoned to itself as Terra knocked on the door with his knuckles. Aqua's call from inside allowing him to open the door and carry both Chirithy and their drinks inside.

Rested his shoulder on one of the pillars that held the roof of the hall, the Master turned the corner with a flick of his coat. A smile crept onto his lips, feeling a deep joy flood him at the sound of talking and laughter from inside. Trailing his gloved fingers down the seams of his sleeve once more, he pushed himself off his hiding place once he knew for certain that the Departure's residence was settled into the room.

"Glad to see they're finding one another again…" He muttered to himself, his smile dropping slowly and he stole a hard breath, lifting his hand up to summon another portal, only this one made of darkness. _Don't want to set off any alarms_, he reasoned with himself, feeling the light flicker off the surface of his skin, just barely catching beneath his hood.

Forcing himself away, he made his way through the portal, stepping into it and raising his hand once more to shut it behind him only for the sound of a door creak to cause him to freeze. _I didn't use any darkness, I made sure not to let any out, how could they_— his frantic thoughts were tossed away as he met a widened, younger face staring at him in wonder.

Neither spoke.

A muffled, female voice called out from the room where he had left, casting Ventus' gaze aside but not letting the cloaked man escape his vision. "I'm just going to the bathroom, Aqua!" He called back to the Master, turning his attention back to the Master, both hearing Aqua reply. "Uh… how about you show Chirithy how to drink it? It does understand everything you say!"

There were no more interruptions beyond that.

The Master didn't speak, paralysed by the overwhelming fear of his recklessness, his stupid desires ruining everything. Why had he gone in?! It was so stupid! They were fine! He shouldn't have—!

"You'd better get out of here… I don't think Terra or Aqua would be happy to see one of you guys here." Ventus spoke in a hushed tone, but his neutral expression lured the Master from his panicked thoughts.

The words failed to escape him at first. "You… you aren't going to attack me?"

"You didn't attack Chirithy."

"I… fine." The Master blinked, swallowed the word as he stepped partly back to his portal.

Ventus, however, didn't seem done quite yet. "Why?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Why? Why… what?"

"Why were you watching us?"

The Master stepped through his portal, turning back to the boy. In hindsight, he and Roxas were different in appearance. Ven had none of Roxas' anger; his creased brow or sharp glare that pierced into hearts but when softened showed the suffering beneath, the relief of once more being in his friends embrace. No, Ven was softer. Ven's hair was ever-so-slightly lighter, but not to the extent of Namine.

Looking at the boy as the portal began to shut, he could finally connect him to the small orb of light that found its way to his heart all those years ago.

The Master smiled despite knowing the boy wouldn't be able to see it, hoping his voice sang his joy. "Because… you all deserve to be happy."

He could only grin as he heard Aqua call out once more, luring Ven's gaze away just as his portal closed, barely catching sight of the wonder and confusion on the younger Keyblade Wielder' face.

And then, there was nothing. 


	11. Not Just A Dream

**A/N:So, I wanted to get this out before Christmas but College decided to pile all of our assignments off on the last week and I had family things going on, so this was only finished now. Uh, so... Merry Christmas and all that (I am writing a Christmas-centric fic for something else but I've been focused on getting this fic sorted out so eek late late late I know).**

**But, given I have a month off, I will try to upload another chapter or two at least for this fic so let's hope this new year will actually give me the kick up the ass I need. Anyways, here this chapter is, so enjoy! :D**

The stone was rough against Ira's shoulder-blades, the curve of his back straightened as he lifted his head and tucked himself as tightly into the wall as he could. A breath stung his lips, but he didn't exhale. His hand spread along the face of the wall; it was constructed with smooth, yet durable stone.

But it was in no way new – no one used that road anymore.

Of course, the conclusion snapped to mind as he let his chin slip against his shoulder, tilting it so he faced the opposite direction of the two… _ whoever _they were. His brows furrowed, felt against the hardened shell of his mask. The light breeze that swept across the woodlands brushed the fabric of his robes against his legs – the dark witch, however, didn't seem affected.

"This world will do nicely." The witch said with the flick of her robes, the butt of her staff tapping into the loose stones that littered the ground.

Ira shifted, sacrificing his posture for the sake of observation as he leaned forward, angling himself aside to catch a glimpse of the two. He had abandoned his tracking of the young, silver-haired man to pick up the far darker trail the fallen keyblade wielder hadn't caught.

The teenager – surely, he was nearing adulthood with lean muscle and limber height sure to make him a troublesome foe – was searching for someone. A girl, if his muttered complaints of a 'she' and 'her' were any indication… but why would he come to that world? One so pure, so full of untainted light? Could he be searching for one of those 'Princesses of Light' their Master had mentioned in parenthesis?

And these two foes, spreading creatures of darkness he hadn't seen the boy summon in the brief time he had watched him… could the silver-haired boy be an ally of theirs?

Could these be the dangers the Master had suspected they would face? Or, had these been unforeseen enemies of darkness in what should be a time of new-born light? If the light had survived the calamity of their time – who was to say the darkness hadn't as well?

Pushing his weight off the wall, Ira twisted his hips as his heel skimmed off the dirt, stepping cautiously away from the two as he heard the witch scowl at her ally once again – _ if he was so incompetent, then why keep him around? Then again, Aced never thought further than breakfast and yet was a fearsome warrior, perhaps the other did have his uses _– as he crept away. His eyes skimmed the ground, listening out as the witch's orders grew quieter, letting himself gain some ground on them before allowing himself to steal a moment.

The forces of darkness were gathering. Growing their forces and seeking out innocent worlds, innocent light, to steal for themselves. If the schemes, the desires, that the witch spoke of were, in fact, a plan… there was no time to dwell on the past. They had to act – _ all _of them.

The Master wouldn't ignore such a threat. He had trained them to protect the light, to guard the innocent and uphold order! He couldn't… no, he wouldn't ignore such creatures of darkness. The threats of the past were always contained, always monitored and recorded – nothing ever happened under the Master's leadership that he did not know about and gather the people of their world to stop.

Their Master was _many _things – eccentric, aloof at times and seemed to believe any situation could be made light of with a badly placed, but well-meant, joke or quip – but he was not neglectful when people needed him.

Especially to innocents.

After everything that had happened in their lives, after all his years of training and companionship, Ira knew _that _for certain. The past… the past had to happen, that was the only explanation! He had retraced his Master's steps, again and again, every book and 'family-outing' as he claimed back when they were younger and not yet Masters themselves.

His Master cared.

He _had _to.

And he would do it again.

* * *

"_Cinderella_!"

Kairi sprinted across the remaining space in the foyer, sliding to a halt on the recently polished floor before the downtrodden woman. Her gaze clung to her cupped hands, the clench of her slender fingers hiding whatever she was holding from Kairi's view.

Dirty blonde hair reached below her chin, messy strains poking from her temples. Instead of the gorgeous ballgown she had last worn, a simple brown over-dress and blue undershirt covered her slim frame, with a white apron tied around her waist.

Far from the regal woman who held grace and light that even Hollow Bastion couldn't waver.

"C-Cinderella?"

She hiccupped, startled by the intruder but not acting to defend herself. Instead, she dropped whatever was cushioned in her two hands into one hand, before using her then free one to wipe her eyes.

Kairi dropped to kneel before her, glancing over the woman for any signs of harm but found nothing that warranted a _ cure _spell. Instead, her heart too dropped once she caught sight of the woman's hands. Broken glass shards laid in her palms, pressed against her chest as if for some miracle to come and put them back together.

_Wrong_. Kairi's heart ached at the sight, at the tremor that set across the aura of the world, its light weakened by such a tragedy. _Everything was wrong_.

"Was… was it all just a dream?" Cinderella wept, her voice barely a whisper. She swallowed a sob, looking up at Kairi with misted eyes. "My step-mother and… and _ Anastasia _-" She swallowed back a cry. "- _I _ was the one who danced with the prince. _I _ had the other slipper, we had fallen in love but she…I-!"

Kairi pursed her lips into a line, rising to her feet only to aside to sit beside the devastated woman. A shadow of a smile graced her lips as she watched the two mice clumsily climb up the marble steps to leap onto Cinderella's lap, sympathetically patted her clenched hands.

"I know." Kairi replied after a moment, causing Cinderella to gaze up at her in amazement.

"You… you do?" She paused as the mouse in a red shirt tugged at a piece of cloth from her pocket, taking it from the small creature and wiping her nose with it. "I… I'm sorry but I don't believe I know you? Were you at the Prince's ball as well?"

Kairi bit her lip. "No, but my friends were." Reaching over she grasped at the older woman's hand. "And they all know it was _ you _ the Prince danced with."

"I am certain I know you from somewhere…"

"You do." Kairi caught herself, "Or, at least you _ did _."

Cinderella raised a brow, giving her a confused, but comforting look.

"Uh… that isn't important right now." Kairi shrugged, rising to her feet and stepping away from the other. "What matters is that you danced with the Prince! Not Anastasia. The Prince _ must _ know that-"

"Yes…!"

Kairi blinked in surprise as Cinderella suddenly exclaimed, rising to her feet and brushing away her tears with as much grace as she remembered the now ex-princess-of-heart having.

The pure joy on the other's face filled Kairi with a sense of light, gazing around in confusion at whether or not the room had actually become brighter, only to catch the sight of several bluebirds flying into the foyer from high windows. Two of them carried a piece of cloth between them, soaring over-head and hovering before Cinderella as she carefully placed the broken shards of the slipper into her apron pocket before taking the cloth and wrapping it around her hair.

The two mice who had alerted Kairi leapt with delight on the staircase, cheering for Cinderella and seeming to speak. But Kairi couldn't catch much of what they were saying other than "_ Cinder- ellie _" and " _Prince- ie _".

Whatever they were saying, Cinderella seemed to understand as she wiped down her apron before turning back to Kairi with a smile. "You and my friends are right. I can't give up on true love, at least not without a _ fight _."

Kairi grinned, "So what do you want us to do?"

"Us?" Cinderella asked, raising a brow. "Oh dear, I don't want to place you in any danger! Why… why do you want to help me so? We've never met."

Kairi bit down onto her lip, excuses ripe on her tongue but failing to escape at Cinderella's worried gaze. _ Order, Sora always said that keeping the order of the worlds, of no one knowing about the keyblade, was important… so is it bad to lie if its to protect people? _

"But," Cinderella said, interrupting Kairi's thoughts. "It would be lovely to have a friend by my side to help get me inside… if it's not too much of a bother."

"No!" Kairi held herself back shouting, shaking her head before giving Cinderella an honest smile. "I mean… I'd be happy to go with you, I promised my friends I'd make sure you and the Prince were alright."

Cinderella nodded in acceptance, returning her smile and extending a hand to Kairi who took it without a word, making a soft sound as Cinderella immediately tugged her along.

Catching up to her side, Kairi grinned as their hands swung behind them, watching the mice and birds cheer them as they scurried between the two women's feet.

"I have to try," Cinderella said, pushing the manor's door open and letting Kairi go first, slipping out after and shutting it after letting her two mice friends out. Grabbing ahold of Kairi's hand once more, they both began to stroll from the manor and back towards the woods that would lead directly to the town sitting below the castle. "If there is a chance of love, then I'll need all the help I can get…?"

"_Kairi _." Kairi added, smiling at the hope that stirred in her chest. "All we can do is try…" _That's what Sora would do, so that's what she'd do _. "-because _true love _ is worth climbing every mountain for!"

Cinderella nodded, giving her a knowing look, but instead focused on the quickest path to the town. _ She had spent her whole life traversing those roads, if there was a way, she'd know _, Kairi thought to herself as she let Cinderella take the lead, ducking below a branch as they hit the edge of the forest.

Kairi paused as she glanced back at the manor, her eyes skimming the edge of the forest. _ He really had gone… _ Relaxing the tension the idea brought to her gut, she hurried after Cinderella, replying to the worried chirps of the two mice her company called 'Jaq' and 'Gus'. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" She laughed, hearing Cinderella scold the two.

Ducking his head to avoid Kairi catching sight of him despite the darkness that his coat allowed him to sink into, the Master sank his back into the tree. Feeling the rough bark dig into his coat and poking uncomfortably into his shoulders and back, he almost let himself sink down it onto the mossy forest floor. He shouldn't have stayed, he knew he needed to check up with Ira—_ to keep according to the plan _—but he had to make sure.

He had to make sure Kairi was _safe_.

While he had never encountered them, Aqua had told them all of the heartless Tremaine had become, of the foul darkness that lurked inside her and her daughters. He couldn't risk leaving Kairi in case such a beast awaited her… not _yet_.

She wasn't ready yet—none of them were! Not even Riku wandered too far off the path.

He had to make sure everything went according to _plan_.

He had lost them once before.

Gritting his teeth, he straightened himself as he caught Kairi's gaze. _ Could she sense him? Did she know? Had he let on too much _\- she glanced back into the forest before quickly ducking into its depths.

_Oh_.

Letting power flutter through his fingertips, he exhaled as a portal snapped open behind him, feeling his head swim slightly before leaning himself towards it, letting its light swallowed him.

Everything had to go according to plan… for _everyone's _sake.

He had never been good at following the rules.

* * *

Golden light smeared between the canopy as Ira made his way through the forest, his patience slowly but surely ticking down as he met dead end after dead end, his robes creased by the clenching of his fist. Not only had the Master not given him coordinates, but he hadn't given him any indication of where they were to meet! Giving himself time to take a breath, Ira came to a halt. That world was a pleasant one—those creatures of darkness had yet breached the small pockets of civilisation dotted across the countryside... but that would _ soon _change.

_Master... where are you? _ Ira caught his bottom lip between his teeth, pinching it without drawing blood, only to force his jaw closed_. _

As a child, he had used many ticks to steady the nerves that stuck him at the worst of times, the sharp panic that pierced like a knife or struck him frozen where he stood. It had taken years for him to gain a semblance of control, to steady those emotions that riled up in his chest and threatened to spill out at the small inconvenience.

It had taken him years to bury the child who stood frozen while the good, the _ brave_, fell at his feet.

But, where had that brought him? Alone in an unknown world, stranded aeons in the future with the only person who had a clue what was going on content to leave without anything said other than children's tales, all while the forces of darkness conspired against them? Had this been what had been prophesied? Had this been what the Master had known from the start?

That _ everything— _the war, the ruin of everything they ever loved—would lead them on different paths orchestrated by his design? By a plan he failed to explain and trust he squandered in the name of senseless duty?

Ira stole another breath. And another, and another.

_Such thoughts... they will not change the past. Nothing can _. His shoulders straightened as he resumed his march through the woodlands, reaching the edge of the woods that dropped down a small cliff-face, catching sight of the town in the distance and the spires of the castle that shadowed it. _Just like back home _...

"Fancy seeing you here! Come 'er and take a look, would ya'?"

Ira blinked, a soft sound escaping his lips as his eyes darted around in surprise. "Ma..._ Master_? Where-?"

"_ Behind _ you…"

If not for the unmistakable sound of the Master's voice, Ira might've jumped in shock as a gloved hand slapped down onto his shoulder with far less force than the speed of the gesture would've suggested, causing him to grit his teeth as a dull pain ran through his arm.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Ira failed to speak as the Master strolled past him on the opposite side than he had struck with a chuckle, his hood facing the skies and his movement once more restrained with his arms bent behind his back. None of them knew why he walked in such a way—not that rumours and jokes about the Master in their younger years had failed to stimulate their minds—but they knew it meant something _ important _.

While the Master was one to tell constant ill-placed jokes... he did know when to get serious, no matter how infrequent those times tended to be. Whether or not he would break that serious face (or _ hood _, as Gula unhelpfully quipped in the past) with a jest or a comment of events they had yet to understand, remained to be seen.

"Master." Ira addressed him once the pounding of his chest had quieted, watching the Master amble to the edge of the ridge.

Ducking his head over the edge, the Master whistled before slowly turning back to face Ira. "Whoa… long way down, huh?" He said, poking a thumb over his shoulder to the steep drop below. His hands gripped his hips, "Never been a fan of high places, nasty habit of _ falling off _…"

Before Ira could question him, the Master made a sound before straightening and replacing his hands on the small of his back and stepping back towards Ira. The Master was never one for letting on too much, either to give his students a challenge or simply in need of privacy. But Ira never pried; it wasn't their place and he was sure the Master would tell them when he felt comfortable. As children, they had never felt the need to hide things unless it was truly something private, and as long as they explained that, the Master was understanding. _ "There's a fine line between what's good for you to tell and what's bad – sometimes you need secrets!" _ he had claimed, wiggling a mischievous finger over where his mouth would've… had the Master _worn _his coat back then?

Ira shoved away the foggy memories for that moment. _ The past was the past_, he reminded himself as he addressed the man before him, focusing on the Master who seemed to notice his absence-mind, but had yet to mention it. The Master had a right to keep his past unknown, it wasn't as if it mattered in the here and now.

"Master… I have something important to report."

"Huh?" The Master's head poked up, his attention was drawn back to Ira as he stopped before him, tilting his head to the side. "You find something?"

"I… I believe so, but not one of those maidens as you requested-"

"Ah!" The Master waved a gloved hand, placing another on his hip as he leaned towards Ira. "Don't worry about that, I actually found the one of this world by accident! Or… at least the _ old _ one."

"Wait, old-?"

The Master silenced him with a finger, wiggling it from the side to side. "Nah. Not right now, I'll explain it…" He paused for a moment. "-well, I'll explain it at some point. Trust me, will ya'?"

Ira nodded, noting how the Master watched his hesitancy before continuing. "During my recon, I stumbled upon two bizarre… _ individuals, _not of this world." He hesitated as the Master absently glancing down at his boot, wiping it off onto the wild grass. "They were users of… of _darkness _."

The Master smacked his lips, "Right, that all?"

"And…!" Ira forced his mouth closed, focusing on the pitch of his voice, staring intently at the dirt beneath his feet as he stole a hitched breath. "-and there was another … a wielder of the _ keyblade _."

"Keyblade…?" The Master paused, before shrugging and turning back to the view. "What's your point?"

Ira sighed, readjusting his shoulders to ease the ache that had hung between them since that morning. "Well, I… I believe he may be working with those others I spoke of to spread darkness‐"

"Nah, he wouldn't work with those two."

Ira gave the Master a withering look, startled himself at the dark glaze of his own stare. The respect he held for his Master was unmatched, the experience the other held even more so. "_ Master_," He said lightly. "How can you be so sure? That boy is unlike any wielder I have ever seen. I recognise that assuming will do nothing, but we cannot be certain that he is not working with the darkness-"

"Don't even think of insinuating that, _ Ira _."

An aghast look lingered on Ira's face, thankfully hidden by his mask and cowl. His elbows tucked tightly into his ribs; his arms pressed against his sides as he straightened. His hands ruffled his robes, uncertain of where to sit.

Sometimes he had thought his Master bore some resemblance to a stray dog he had seen wandering the streets of Daybreak Town as a child, with his lithe frame that held far more strength than he let onto and open movements that welcomed others towards him. He couldn't remember a time before the Master had dressed in his coat; his face and body were hidden by the well-kept leather, leaving them to become fluent in his body movements in order to understand the meaning behind his eccentricities.

But there was no need for translations to tell him what the Master had meant, what meanings and thoughts sank their fangs into his words, leaving his stance wide and square, his body firm and confronting Ira head-on.

"M-Master…I-I didn't _mean _to-"

Ira swallowed his nerves as a shape suddenly came toward them, charging from the forest and making both men shift defensively. The creatures that lunged and snapped from the forest depths cried out as a blade struck them neatly, slicing through them and unleashing their trapped hearts into the sky. It was that time of evening when people would be able to catch a glimpse of bats or owls soaring overhead and swooping down to strike their prey. But it was not quite dark enough yet to hide them from the young man.

Bright teal eyes stared back at Ira as he stole a step back, both of their gazes slipped from one another as the Master sighed in exasperation. Ira watched the young man growl at the sight of him, pausing at the intensity of hatred in young, but tired eyes.

"Well," The Master spoke dryly. "So much for a _ surprise _."


	12. A Doubting Heart

**A/N:Hey so, sorry for this chapter being shorter than the last few, I try to keep these chapters a good size (around 3000-ish words minimum) for the most part but this chapter is much more of a preview of what's happening meanwhile with Sora rather than the chunk of the story with Riku Kairi/MoM and the Guardians of light/ the Foretellers. I struggle a lot more with beefing out Sora's early chapters in this story since it revolves quite a bit around his thought process rather than actual events going on that he's not privy to (yet). But, the next few Sora chapters will be more beefy and confusing for our poor boy given that at the moment he's not properly yet connecting to the main plot like all the other characters are. It's hard to explain without going into spoiler territory, but Sora's chapters are by far the most set out and yet confusing for me in terms of how to show what's going on, rather than everyone else who has the other characters to bounce off of and action/events to help support their stories. Sora, at least for the moment, is connected to everything but nothing yet? XD I'm not sure how to explain, but thank you so much for following to my rambly apology and watch out for the next chapter coming hopefully soon enough!**

The rest of their walk took place in uneasy silence. Sora let the pounding drone of the screens that littered the city's every surface fill his senses, his eyes clinging to the overwhelming lights that stood stark, but dead, against the darkness of the city. He could understand the lure of such a place—there was so much to do, how couldn't he want to see it all? But it was too loud, too cold and empty but _full_ of people who didn't give one another a simple 'hello' or smile.

His lip twitched. Maybe he was just biased, he hadn't spent long in any worlds with cities like that. San Fransokyo was probably the only one that had people in it, but even then he had been focused on the heartless rather than paying attention to the stray citizens who wandered the desolate streets. But... he was an _islander_. The waves crashing off the pier, rocking their little boats up and down, feeling the hot sand burn against his skin as he stretched out.

Adventure filled him with purpose, sure, and he wanted nothing more than to help people, but… he wanted to go home.

He _always_ wanted to go home.

But, Riku and Kairi... that old raft had always been their dream, their passion. It wasn't until he had seen other worlds that he realised that it had always been them who wanted to build it, to see other worlds. He had helped, sure... but they were meant to come _home_ after. He wanted adventure, but he wanted _home_ as well. He wanted a choice, a way back to that golden shore.

Did they even want to go back?

Riku was a Keyblade Master now! And Kairi... he knew she wanted to do more. Be more. See more. Maybe even become a Keyblade Master someday too.

They were _happy_.

They knew what they wanted. They searched and trained and got stronger and stronger and... and all he seemed to do was lose. His power, his light, his _friends—too many heartless, too many, so many, everyone...gone, darkness, failed, we failed, we-! _Sora shook his head, shoving away the tension pounding between his temples, focusing on the flickering lights and glass. Every surface reflected the light, stole the light and left the dark corners and alley to slumber, to spread out and ingulf the streets.

At least they could see _some_ stars.

_"What about you, Sora?"_

_Aqua had asked, smiling as she handed him a mug of hot drink—Yen Sid had summoned some tea or something, he couldn't remember—and leaned her back against the wall at his side. The golden glow of the tower's lamps sank into her bright hair, still messy from her battle against Vanitas, as she drank some of her own before looking towards him. His eyes clung to the sky, the aura of purples and blues and greens that mixed together and painted around the tower's island. "Are you going to retake your Mark of Mastery? Mickey... well, Mickey told me you failed your exam because of Xehanort and-"_

He had failed it because of himself. Riku passed after saving him! Why couldn't people accept that? He had failed. He hadn't been strong enough, he hadn't been smart enough to see the obvious trap. He wasn't Keyblade Master material! He was just... just a mistake; a clueless kid who got a keyblade that wasn't even his. The only reason he had even been able to use the Power of Waking was because of Ven and Roxas using it _for_ him! He had just held onto their hearts so they could save themselves. He had helped bring Aqua back to the light after Riku and Mickey had worn her out... even Terra had fought back against his darkness to help him free himself from Xehanort's control.

When had he ever done anything himself? When he froze after everyone was taken by darkness? When Riku had to step up and be the Master—be the one to sacrifice himself to keep him alive for a few minutes more? When Kairi had fought in a war despite having no training, putting herself in the crossfire only to get killed because he let her? Because he couldn't stop Xehanort?

Maybe the keyblade finally realised Riku was better than him? That he wasn't a Keyblade Master? That he was just a delivery b-

"We're here."

Sora blinked, thrown from his thoughts as Serah came to a sudden stop. Her heels clicked off the wet concrete, stepping to the side and brushing her hand along the worn frame of a door. On closer inspection, Sora realised the lock had been snapped, the boarded window beside the door more than likely the intruder's point of entry.

Serah grunted under her breath as she shoved her shoulder against the door, popping it open with a groan before entering herself, gesturing for him to follow. He did.

_No need for a keyblade_.

Sora sighed, shutting the door behind him with a kick.

_Not that I can use it_.

"It…um, it's not much," Serah said after a moment of silence, letting them gather themselves as she turned back to face him. "But it's dry… Caius won't find us here."

Sora nodded, looking at her steadily while rubbing his nose off his wrist. "I… guess."

As they continued forward and up the worn staircase that seemed to rise up the entire height of the building, which Sora assumed to be some sort of apartment complex like those he had seen in San Fransokyo. The building was cold, with mist fogging up the windows they passed, but modern enough. His boots slapped off the white tiles, the lobby of each floor the same tired, musty green that blended with the numbered doors along the halls, each neatly labelled and shut.

"Beside Caius… you're the only other person I've seen." Serah said after a few minutes of climbing. Ducking her head, she smiled back at him as she came to a stop at the top of the third flight of stairs. "So, you don't have to worry about anyone finding us."

Sora pursed his lips, the obligation to thank her growing his chest, only for the faintness of uncertainty to cage it down. "Where is everyone?" He asked, rising to stand by her before following her down the hall of that floor. "These buildings were made for somebody… but there's nothing here."

"I don't know." Serah shrugged, pulling a key small enough to fit into her palm from her skirt and shoving it into the door lock. It clicked open a moment later. "But, with Caius around… I've been focusing on staying safe."

"So, the city's empty? You've seen nobody?"

Sora chewed down on his lip as he blurted the questions out, feeling a sense of embarrassment as the harshness of his tone—_Donald would've scolded him_. Swallowing down his nerves, he raised a brow as Serah opened her mouth to speak, but paused as she glanced back at him, shutting her thin lips with a soft sound.

"No." She said after a moment, something in her tone making him hesitate to follow, only for a clap of thunder outside to urge him after her. Her back was turned to him as she let him close the door, her slender fingers curled tightly around the grip of her bow.

"No one else.

* * *

The fat raindrops that trickled down from the skies did nothing to slow his pace. Arms swinging by his sides with tightened fists, the young man didn't seem to even take notice of the rain as he ducked his head from beyond the eaves of the rooftop door he had managed to find before being completely soaked to the bone.

Grinding his teeth, he brushed a hand through messy locks of hair, wiping away the droplets that leaked down his brow as he gazed out and upwards to the skies. Dark, thick clouds spread out in clumps, the starlight that managed to trickle past their haze were dimmed by the streetlamps that dotted every corner.

He snuffled, rubbing his hands together to warm them before plunging them into the pockets of his trousers. Clenching his fist, he brushed the crumpled paper within, thankful that the material of his trousers had protected them from the sudden downpour.

_She wouldn't be happy if I destroyed it so soon… but why do I have to hold onto it?_

Exhaling a puff of hot breath, he pulled the paper out from his pocket and straightened it to the best of his ability, tugging at its corners to avoid tearing it while unruffling it. A simple worn page of white paper… with some drawing on it.

A key?

Was it a clue?

A message?

Scowling in irritation, he stuffed the paper back into his pocket. His back straightened as he leaned back into the door, letting his eyes close and listening to the drizzle settle slowly around him. It was almost nice. Calm. Quiet-

_"He's just a kid!"_

His eyes snapped open in alarm at the sound of a voice; a soft, feminine voice that pitched slightly as if pleading… _two_ people? How was it that when he searched for days, he found no one, but the one day he allowed himself some peace there was not one but two fights of some sort? Had people finally arrived in the city? Or… were these the type of _targets_ he had been told of?

Swallowing, he slowly moved his back the slope of the roof and steadied himself on his feet. He stepped with ease, keeping his boots from hitting off the grey slates, the water pounding down and leaving the marble glossy and easy to slip on.

Stepping a wide stride once deeming the coast to be clear, he gripped the railing along the side of the building to steady himself, taking careful steps as he crept to the side of that particular building, ducking to the roof's edge but keeping his stance level to duck away or flee should he be caught.

He froze, however, at the sight of a moving form. His eyes narrowed; a man and a woman stood within the small alley.

Dressed in a long black coat, the man wore his salt-and-pepper locks tied back and an eye patch stretching along his face. A large, deep scar dug into his skin, making the young man winch at the sheer thought of how much pain such an injury must have caused.

The woman was unmarked, at least from he could see, and dressed in a dress that fell above her knee with rose-pink hair trailing down her shoulder. Her crystal blue eyes shined against the flickering light planted on the side of the building and casting her and the man in shadow.

"Look, girlie… I dunno what you _thought_ you saw, but-"

The woman's thin brows furrowed, swinging an arm out before her which caused the man to step back. "You were following us! And since you're talking to me, I can only assume you're after Sora." Her anger seemed to flicker as she raised a fist to chest, sighing. "He… he's just a _kid_. He shouldn't be here! So why can't you people-!"

"You don't understand anything, alright?" He paused before gesturing to the building, causing the young man's gaze to follow, before turning back to the pink-haired woman. "So, if you care for the kid so much, then do us _both_ a favour and not mention me… '_capiche_?"

"I…" The woman made a move to retaliate but stumbled over her words before deciding to tighten her lips. The alley somewhat shielded them from the downpour, but droplets managed to slip through shyly between the tight gap of the two buildings and fell onto the two.

The black-coated man sniffled a laugh, his smirk digging into his cheek. "Lemme' give you a word of advice, _sweetheart_." He turned away from as his gloved hand—also black—rose up to pull his hood over his head before beginning to make his way out of the alley. "Sora has enough to deal with without you going around talking to strangers." His voice dropped, the young man noticed as he listened harder to hear, watching the coated man duck his head back towards the woman. "So, don't go making him think he's not safe, especially without that key of his. Like you said—he's _just_ a kid."

Sucking a breath through clenched teeth, the young man slipped away from the corner as the coated man turned back towards his direction. Stepping back into the wall, he held his breath as he listened, only for the man to emerge from the alley a moment later.

The coated man took no time in removing himself from the scene, removing one hand from his pockets in order to wave his fingers before him. The young man's eyes widened as a spluttering vortex appeared before him, swallowing the man who took no time in escaping through before the portal closed a moment later.

Before he could investigate, however, the young man tucked himself once more against the shadow of the wall as the woman emerged shortly after. Her thin brows furrowed in dismay, biting her lip as she hurried away from the scene, ignorant to her audience as she made her way down the footpath before pausing at one of the apartment blocks.

One thought ran through his mind as he watched her slowly make her way back into the apartment block, keeping himself to the shadows even once the door shut behind her. Without any weapons, magic or any of his comrades, it would be suicide to follow either of them. The stench of the alleyway wavered through his senses, plunging him into thoughts that he forced away once he finally after minutes of silent waiting, moved out from his hiding spot.

There wasn't much she had told him—which on its own supported his scepticism—but she had mentioned looking for some boy.

With a _key_.

Tucking his hands into his pockets, he stole away from the alley with a single thought tugging at his mind.

Who was this _Sora_?

* * *

Sora didn't open his eyes at the sound of the door creaking open, listening out and letting his body relax upon hearing it close once more. Rolling his free shoulder, he shifted to his side, ducking his head closer to his chest as his knees bent inwards.

The sound of shoes against the laminated floorboards made him grimace, feeling the steady calm his body had finally fell into after laying for more than twenty minutes slowly fade. His muscles tightened, feeling the familiar jitter of energy flow through him despite how worn his body felt.

How long had it been since he had slept? A day? Maybe two? The night before the war in the keyblade graveyard had been restless for everyone—even Aqua who hadn't slept in a _decade_ found it hard to get some rest—and he had only managed to catch stray naps during their journey across the worlds. How could he have slept when people were suffering, when Xehanort was gathering darknesses and the fate of the world was at stake?

But the war was over.

Everyone who was hurting was saved.

The light won.

So why couldn't he sleep? Why... why couldn't he _relax_?

Why was that—everything people had worked, had suffered and _died_ for—not enough?

Why wasn't he enou-

The sensation of something brushing against the bare skin of the back of his neck sent Sora flying back around, his legs kicking and arm stretched out to summon a weapon that ignored his call. "_Hey_-!"

Sora blinked as he caught Serah stumbling back in alarm, her eyes widened and hands held out in defence. Glancing down, Sora followed her gaze down to the worn blanket slipping from his body and onto the floor.

"I—I'm sorry." She winced, lowering her hands to her sides, the corners of her mouth curling softly as she gestured to the fabric. "I thought you were cold and-"

" 'm fine."

The woollen fabric was coarse against his fingers, rubbing one of the blanket's corners between his fingers.

Serah chewed down onto her lip in thought, "If you want to talk about it-"

"I said I'm _fine_." The word caught the side of his throat, leaving his mouth dry as he spat it out, leaving them both in a pregnant silence that seemed to flood the apartment space. Furrowing his brows, Sora dug his knees deeper into his chest, running his hands down the material of his trousers. He forced himself to exhale, just as Goofy would persuade Donald to when his temper got the best of him. Even just the thought of his two companions seemed to bring a sense of calm through him, as if they stood beside him, their voices close but far away.

He took a breath.

And then another.

And another.

"I'm sorry."

He could see Serah's hesitant movement, his eyes clung to the floor as he pushed back the heaviness between his temples.

A breath, and another, and another.

"I... It's okay."

Even though he couldn't believe her, Donald and Goofy would've.

So that was enough for him to try.

Sora gave her a small smile, letting himself look at her as his hands wrangled into the blanket, feeling his fingers go numb.

"Thank you."


	13. To Return What Was Lost

**A/N:****I'm trying to use this quarantine to the best of my abilities, so I will try my best to get more chapters of this out. I have been sitting on this chapter for a good while, but with everything going on in the world my motivation for everything has hit an all-time low and I am quite literally forcing myself to do my college work, which I must know finish at home at the moment as well, but I am trying. I hope you all enjoy and, since I'm trying to answer comments now, if anyone wants to rant I am more than happy to talk, no need to apologise guys.**

The floor of moss and fauna slowly bled into the countryside, lush hills stretching out far beyond the shadow of the woodlands with prolific soil freshly dug within the bounds of wooden fences abound with crops. Minutes of walking trickled by before slowly flattening into rough, man-made paths as more carts and carriages trudged by. The difference was subtle; you wouldn't even notice it if you weren't looking. But Cinderella _was…_ so Kairi did too.

The village Kairi had arrived at earlier that morning wasn't that far, cast in the shade of the looming castle of the daytime sun. Cinderella waved and nodded to those they passed, shrugging away from the looks towards her company, sending those curious few souls away with a smile.

_A new world wasn't nearly as daunting when you have a friend, maybe Sora was right going with Donald and Goofy…_ Kairi thought to herself, looking back to see the looks of admiration and esteem the village folk gave her companion as they passed, soft smiles hooking their lips as they went about their day.

Casting her eyes back toward the worn cobble of the town square, trailing her fingers down the scattered street lamps as they strolled past them, Kairi smiled too. _She doesn't realise that they already love her… _

"I 'ought to thank you," Cinderella glanced aside towards Kairi, chewing her thin lip as she turned her vision back to the path ahead, the castle growing larger with every step. "While my animal friends try their best to support me… not many other people believe in dreams coming true. I doubt I would have the courage to do this alone."

Kairi shrugged, immediately catching onto what the other meant. "Well… _I _doubt that's true." Swinging her arm outward, she grasped Cinderella's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze, chuckling at the grins of the mice in her apron pockets. "You had the strength to follow your heart when you went to the ball. You… you're stronger than your step-mother wants you to believe."

Cinderella made a move to reply, her smile growing far truer than she had ever seen the once-Princess of Heart ever have, only to flinch upon a sudden swarm of people callously shoving past her. The two women stepped back, avoiding nearly being knocked to the ground as over a dozen people seemed to flood the market place, the once quiet air filled with chatter and tense whispering.

"My word… I wonder what could've happened…?" Cinderella asked instead, raising a hand to help Kairi regain her balance. She arched a brow, worry plastering her youthful features. "These people must be from one of the villages… I do so hope nothing terrible has happened."

Kairi nodded absently, catching snippets of conversation within the crowds.

"_-so sudden_!"

"_They came from seemingly nowhere and-_"

"_-not everyone made it out it seems, several are uncounted for and-_"

"_-dark monsters of sorts_!"

Kairi swallowed a hard breath, feeling her stomach drop into anger at the disarray of the people around her. Unlike the townsfolk, many of them were covered in dirt and leaves, with scratches and torn clothing showing just how sudden the attacks had been. Her teeth grounded together, clenching hard enough to send an ache through her jaw. "The Heartless..."

"Heartless?"

Turning back to Cinderella, Kairi forced her anger to fade as she caught the other's alarmed gaze, confusion riddling her wrangling fingers, gripping her apron tightly as Jaq and Gus muttered between themselves while grasping her hand with their paws for comfort.

"I… yes-" Kairi sighed, wrangling her brain for some way to explain her knowledge—no one could know about the other worlds, but she couldn't just lie after Cinderella had trusted her so much already! "-the… the place I'm from was attacked by dark creatures too. I can only assume they're the same as the ones who chased these people out of their home."

Cinderella's mouth fell into a line, her bright eyes wrinkling slightly from the press of her brow as she studied Kairi for a moment, only to gaze back towards the crowds once more with a hand raised to her mouth. "Oh… then these people need help."

The pressure in Kairi's chest popped, flushing away and leaving her to scramble her reaction, nodding towards as she traced her gaze along the market. Royal guards had begun to arrive from both beyond the town and hurried reinforcements from the castle walls, carrying supplies and helping those too injured to walk themselves.

Despite knowing it, Kairi watched their tired faces past, her heart aching as some addressed townsfolk, only to have to hold their sobbing forms a moment later. The ache grew stronger.

The heartless had attacked… and these people hadn't stood a chance.

"Kairi?"

Meeting Cinderella's eyes, Kairi stiffened her back, forcing the panicked thumping of her chest to slow as her fists loosened at her sides. _Sora would know what to do, he would be able to save these people—but Sora isn't here_.

"We need to focus on finding the Prince… _that _will let us help everyone."

Cinderella blinked, confusion on her logic evident, only to solemnly nod before continuing on through the square. Kairi followed at her heels, passing sorrowful looks to those they passed, but hurrying her pace.

The crowds shrank as they made their way through the main square, passing the enclosed lane of houses until the road widened into a smooth cobble path lined with immaculate bushes and trees, all bearing beautiful flowers and leaves. The path came to a sudden stop at the base of the castle gate walls, the smooth stone structure around thirty to forty feet tall.

_No way to sneak in Cinderella with me_, Kairi reasoned as she bit down onto her lip, studying the two solemn guards standing watch. The walls near the gate sloped down before rising up to the looming tower-like structure, the sunlight glistening off the pearl-white stone. Noting how the walls rose once more away from the gate, Kairi snapped back to her companion. More than likely, there would be more guards patrolling the battlements.

"They must've tripled the security with that attack…" She sighed, grasping her hips only to pause as she caught Cinderella's gaze towards a small trickle of men and women trailing towards the side of the castle from the town. Grasping Gus' shirt to stop the mouse from leaping towards the guards in blind fury, Cinderella gave the two mice a stern look before turning back to Kairi, gesturing for her to follow.

Kairi smiled back at her as they followed the townsfolk. Carts filled with a myriad of supplies filled the small opening by the Castle's side, the side entrance hidden on a short flight of steps where a guard stood, ticking off supplies as they entered the storeroom.

"Come on." She muttered, slowing her pace to a steady walk while ducking her head to avoid gathering attention to herself. The Fairies' magic had always helped to disguise Sora, Donald and Goofy in whatever world they were in, altering whatever the people of that world saw as ordinary without sacrificing comfort and flexibility.

While keeping the world order was a priority, Kairi did make note of how the magic only made it seem as though the wearer was from that world… but Sora had mentioned almost getting pneumonia in the past because of it.

Forcing herself not to chuckle at the memory of the resulting spat between her friend and Donald over '_being able to summon meteors but not a coat_', Kairi quickened her pace as she took a place in the line for supplies behind Cinderella.

The man handing out supplies paused for a moment as he laid a wheel of cheese into Cinderella's arms, oblivious to Kairi peeking aside to watch the exchange as he stared intently at her, only to smile bashfully upon Cinderella giving him a warm look.

Doing the same without a word, Kairi released the breath caught in her throat upon catching up to Cinderella after keeping her pace up the step, staring ahead to avoid the guard's gaze. She grinned, stiffening once more upon meeting one of the kitchen servants as they passed as she laid the cheese onto a growing stack.

"This way!" Cinderella whispered, tapping Kairi on the shoulder once they deemed the storeroom empty and gesturing towards the passage into the main body of the castle. "All we have to do is find him and everything-"

"_STOP_!"

Both women jumped in alarm, stiffening as another woman descended from the doorway. Dressed in a tidy, high-coloured gown, the woman stood dignified as she studied Cinderella and Kairi. Towering over them both, she leaned towards Cinderella, forcing her back.

"Who are you?" The woman practically shouted, her tone lacking any finesse as she sneered at them, her large nose pointing highly with an unimpressed gleam in her eye. "What are you doing here?"

Cinderella stammered, glancing back at Kairi in fear. "We-uh…"

"I'm in charge of all the servants in this castle," She stated firmly, removing her hands from behind her back and crossing them over her front, arching a brow down at them. "-and I've never seen you two before…" Only to once more lean forwards and over Cinderella, arching a sharp brow. "-what is your _purpose_?"

Kairi could feel her jaw clench at the woman's tone, catching Cinderella's alarmed expression with anger in her chest. _Everything is wrong. This is all meant to be for Cinderella's wedding you-_

"O-our purpose? Well… we're the royal mouse catchers."

Kairi paused, snapping back to Cinderella at the sight of Jaq and Gus sneaking past the Head of Staff. Straightening her back, she nodded in agreement upon the woman turning her sight to her, forcing herself not to give a laugh at the two mice stopping in confusion and nearly crashing into one another.

"R-royal _mouse _catchers?!" The Head of Staff exclaimed, watching them both. "Preposterous!"

"Snap 'em and trap 'em!" Kairi added, holding back a laugh.

"That's our motto!" Cinderella added with a nod, clapping her hands together with false glee.

"In the thirty years that I have supervised…" The Head of Staff continued, shaking her head as Cinderella waved her hands at Jaq and Gus, shooing them away into the castle before she could spot them. "-this castle, I can _assure _you that there has never, _ever _been a single, solitary-"

"_MOUSE_!"

Hearing a crash of china, the three snapped back to see a number of cooks and servants scream within the kitchen, several even fleeing their quarters as chaos seemed to overtake the staff, leaving the Head of Staff staring blindly at the disarray as Kairi stifled a laugh with her hand at the sight of one woman even leaping onto a table.

Racing to the kitchen entrance, they stopped as Gus swang by on a string of sausages, biting into one as he screamed, freeing it from the rest and hurrying to carry it beneath a table.

"Please, just let us help!" Kairi begged as the Head of Staff snatched a broom from the floor, swinging it as Jaq who danced and made faces at her from behind a glass judge for wine, only to leap away and off the table as the woman smashed it.

"This is _my _kitchen!" The Head of Staff growled, swinging the broom wildly at the two mice. "I'll take care of it!" Scrambling to swat at Jaq who was hurrying away with as many cookies as he could hold, knocking a bowl of oranges onto the floor and chasing after him only to slip headfirst into another basket of tomatoes.

Kairi sniggered as she caught Cinderella hiding a laugh, rolling her eyes as Jaq jumped in celebration of their victory as the woman wiped the squashed tomatoes from her face with a furious scowl. Before she could move, however, Gus rushed onto the tablet before her and knocked a pot off of it, leaping away as the head chef screamed, grabbing another broom and swinging it, only to hit the pot on the Head of Staff's head instead.

"Well, then…" Cinderella bit her lip as she giggled towards Kairi, gesturing for her to follow as she grabbed a net from the kitchen supplies before rushing to enter the castle. "_-we'll_ just go and get those mice!"

The woman failed to complain as she fell with a crash onto the floor.

"Nice work." Kairi chuckled upon hearing Cinderella, turning back to spot Jaq and Gus scramble up the kitchen steps and towards them, cheering in celebration. Kneeling down, Cinderella smiled at her two friends before sharing a look between them and Kairi. "Now, if we split up we can find the Prince faster."

Once the two mice hurry off in their search, the two women paused before bursting into laughter, covering their mouths to try to quiet themselves. Smiling, Cinderella handed Kairi another net with a nod, "It's good to know that things aren't as hard if you've got friends by your side, hmm?"

Letting Cinderella lead the way, Kairi stopped for a moment at her words, before grasping her net with a sigh and following. _With Sora gone, it's just Riku and me… and I left him alone._ Tightening her grip on the tool, she quickened her pace as she spotted Cinderella making her way up the staircase.

_I just hope he's alright..._

* * *

If not for the sudden incursion of Heartless across the woodland he had managed to some-what navigate, Riku might've been surprised to find the black-clad man staring blankly at him. A growl slipped from Riku's lips, straightening his stance as he prepared himself for whatever the other had in store.

"And here I thought the organisation worked _alone_."

The black-coated man tensed for a moment, any retort falling silent on his lips as Riku prodded his keyblade in the air towards him, glaring towards him but letting his attention momentarily slip to the other, oddly-dressed man.

_A mask? Who the heck are these guys?_ Riku questioned, refusing to let his confusion show as he turned back to the coated man. "And here I thought we were finally rid of you guys… the organisation tries to spread darkness wherever they go, don't they?"

The man in white—his mask looked somewhat like a _unicorn_, Riku supposed—growled back, showing none of the restraint of his organisation counterpart, instead tensing his stance with his shoulders pressed back and legs spaced for balance.

"How dare you?!" The Unicorn spat, clenching his jaw as he lifted his hand to his side, causing Riku to tighten the grip of his keyblade. "Acting so innocent as to assume that we would _ever-_!"

"Ira."

Both men froze, turning away from one another to catch the still form of the black-clad man, unmoved by their aggression as he stared, before focusing his attention on the Unicorn. Riku pursed his lips, his brows furrowed but the knot in his stomach loosened. The man sounded… _upset_?

The Unicorn..._Ira_, was that his name? Riku followed his startled gaze over to the other man, watching as he glided over and pushed himself between the two. Ira himself seemed surprised at the other's speed, stepping back with a quiet sound escaping his mouth.

It was only then that Riku recognised the black-clad man's stance—he… he was guarding him _from _Ira.

And Ira seemed to realise this as well.

"M...Mast-?"

The black-clad man interrupted him, however, before Riku had time to catch what Ira had said. "Anyway-!" He sang, spreading his stance and grasping his hips as he let himself take a step away from Riku, who at that moment had forgotten about his summoned keyblade entirely in order to witness whatever seemed to be evolving before. "You must be that 'dark-keyblade-wielder' I've heard _so _much about…"

Riku clenching his keyblade tighter, finally recollecting his thoughts and raising his weapon into a defensive position with a clenched jaw. "There's no point playing dumb, we already had suspicions that the organisation had back-ups, so-"

The black-clad man didn't let him finish before letting out a tired sigh, leaning back onto the heels of his feet. "How many times do I… look," He said firmly after a moment of quiet grumbling, facing Riku head-on despite the younger man not being able to see past his hood. "-not everyone who wears one of these is part of the _organisation_! Jeez, I mean… I already told Kairi this and-"

"Kairi?!"

The black-clad man didn't react for a moment, before turning on his heel and letting out an annoyed groan, smacking his hand against his hood. "_Sonova…_ yeah, sure whatever!"

Riku watched as the man waved his hands in the air in defeat, pressing his knuckles against his hips and taking a wide stride or two away from him, only to peek back after a moment. Glaring, Riku stepped forward towards him with his keyblade primed, noting how Ira stiffened only for the other man to blow a raspberry as he waved his companion's worry away.

"Where's Kairi? If you hurt her I swear-"

"How should I know?!" The man practically yelled back, his voice pitching. "I was nursing a concussion when she ran off to who-knows-whose castle or whatever! _You _should be the one who knows!"

Riku's brows furrowed, determination filling his chest. "The castle…" He muttered, still glaring at the man as he watched him quietly as if studying him.

A moment of silence went by, with Ira still standing aside and growing more anxious as time went on, his gaze following Riku and, more importantly, his keyblade as his fingers grasped loosely on his robe sleeves. None of the three spoke as the black-coated man strolled back and forth around the clearing, keeping an eye on both men before letting his back turn away for a moment. "Wait a minute…" He said quietly, neither daring to speak.

Only to shot back around less than a second later.

"WHY ARE YOU TWO _NOT _TOGETHER?!"

Both men jerked back at both the pitch and sudden anger in the otherwise smug man's voice. What little part of Ira's face had gone pale staring solely at Riku before following the black-clad man as he stomped back over to Riku, looming over him.

"Wha… What do you care?" He protested, asserting himself despite the instant sense of fear over the man's confusing but sudden rage.

Riku's glare didn't hold, however, as the black-clad man once more grasped his hood, scowling to himself only to suddenly straighten his posture with a shake of his head. "Y'know what? _No_."

"Excuse me?"

"Nope."

"What are you-?" Riku argued, only for the man to raise a gloved finger in front of him before quickly tucking it back against his chest.

"Let's just say… appearances _are _deceiving."

Arching a brow, Riku glanced once more at Ira, who seemed equally confused about the situation, only to snap back at the black-man with a growl. "Hey! I'm not playing your sick little game. You guys are the reason we lost Sora, so don't think I'll let you take Kai-_ack_!"

Without warning, the coated man snapped his fingers to summon a portal of light below Riku, sending him plummeting down into its bright depths without a moment to react and being swallowed by.

A moment later, the light faded, leaving the clearing once more empty aside from the black-clad man and Ira.

"Wha… where did you send him?" Ira asked after a moment of silence, releasing his crinkled robes from his fist, smoothing the fabric down to the best of his ability before facing his Master, only for the other man to stroll past with yawn.

The Master stretched his arms out, letting out a long sigh of relief and letting his hands rest on his hips. "Where do _you _think?" He retorted, peeking back at his student.

Ira didn't reply, glancing back to where the younger man had been, noting that the Master sounded… _happy_? "Master?" He waited, continuing once the other made a sound of encouragement. "Who… who is _Sora_?"

The Master was silent, letting the whistle of the breeze fill the gap of conversation as he flexed his arms, causing Ira to step closer after letting his keyblade vanish, having been uncertain of whether to remain armed or not through the encounter.

"Why'd ya ask?"

Ira swallowed, unsure of his Master's tone. He had never heard him angry before, to even think of such a thing made him uncomfortable… but he _had _to know. "Because… because, while I assume the girl is the reason for our delayed meeting… you seemed to know the other boy as well? Is he in this world as well, would he pose as much a threat to our mission as-"

"No."

Ira blinked, his jaw clenched at the sharp tone of his Master's voice. "But-"

A portal snapped open before him, causing Ira to meet his Master's gaze. "For once, Ira… do me a favour?" The Master began, gesturing for him to enter.

The solemn sound of his Master's voice sent a sensation down Ira's spine—not _fear_, no… no, he would never fear his Master, the man who had raised him!—which warded off any hesitation in his limbs.

Turning back to face the Master, Ira gasped as a roll of paper was tossed through after him, catching it with ease against his chest as the Master waved, giving him a flimsy salute before gesturing for him to go.

Frowning, Ira nodded as he smiled at the other man, only to realise he wouldn't be able to tell if it was returned as the portal shut behind him.

The Master's usually warm voice had run dry, cold… upset.

"Don't ask me about that boy again."


End file.
